A Ghostly Crewmate
by ureshiitamago
Summary: Join Aave as she journeys with Luffy from the beginning, and gathers crewmates with him, all while haunting his ships! Rated T 'cause I'm paranoid...
1. Chapter 1

**Ureshiitamago: well, instead of updating my other stories (like I probably should), I decided to start on something that's been bugging me for the past few weeks, so here it is!**

**Aave: She doesn't own One Piece…or me.**

**Ureshiitamago: I made you.**

**Aave: No, no, no. the ****_unicorn_**** made me.**

**Ureshiitamago:….**

**Chapter 1: A Ghostly Friend**

Dying is painful. Dying means that you're leaving your loved ones behind. Sometimes it's a good thing, if you're old and grey, and can get no more out of life than you already have. But most times, especially for a 12 year old, it's the hardest thing ever. When you leave the friends you had promised to play pirates with the next day, even though you had the feeling you'd never see them again.

In a way, a child's mind is an incredible thing. The imagination is endless, and they never expect anything except for their loved ones love in return for loving.

They also seem to know things, the good and the bad, and see them not as bad or good things, but things that can't be helped. Like dying way before their time. Like I did.

I was born and raised in the East Blue, on an uncharted Island called Tom's Island by the natives that lived there. No one lives there anymore, except for me and the flora and fauna. I should probably introduce myself.

Hi. My name is Aave. (pronounced Ae-va). I had a last name, but forgot sometime 300 years ago. Aave D. something. I think it started with a T. Moving on. (Not spiritually, otherwise I wouldn't be here…) (Or literally either for that matter…)

I am 422 years old, but mentally and physically I am still 12 years old. Ghosts can't age you see. I was told by the Shinigami that had come to collect my soul that for some reason, I couldn't move on. I think it was because I wanted to play pirates with my friends again…ah, I'm off topic again.

Let me tell you a little about ghosts. Our colors are typically washed out, and any clothes we wear (we can change clothes) are white except for one of our choosing. We stop aging mentally and physically the moment we die. (Well duh.) If you would like an example, I'll be one.

I have washed out light brown hair that is wavy and goes down to the middle of my back. I have a fringe that makes a straight line across the top of my eyebrows and has two locks on either side of my face that are longer than the others that are curly. My skin is white when I make myself 'solid,' and translucent when I'm 'normal'. My eyes used to be sea blue, but are now washed out and look more like the horizon of the blue sky when the sun is at its zenith. I have pale freckles splattering my nose, and I like them. I don't know about my height or anything, because I float off of the ground almost all of the time.

The one article of clothing that I chose to keep its normal colors was my hat. It's poofy on top, and has a small brim with a checkered ribbon running across the top. The poofy and the brim are the same sea blue that my eyes were, and the checkered part is grass green and sky blue. **A/N: Like an old fashioned taxi-cap. Look it up if you don't know what I mean.**

This hat is special to me because my friends and family made it together for my 12th birthday. My clothes I can change whenever I want to whatever I imagine, but normally, I wear an oversized white t-shirt with white jean shorts, gloves that are tight on the hands, but poof around my wrists, the knee pads I used to wear for ice-skating in the winter, and knee high socks that are striped white and grey. No, I don't wear shoes, I don't need them. I have one accessory that I always wear (aside from my hat). It's a watch; it's circular and is on a necklace that I never take off. It's faded gold and light brown, and it doesn't tell time, but I still love it.

I'll explain more about ghosts. We can float and fly wherever we want, and we can float through things, but despite popular belief, we _can_ touch things at will. We can also feel things and smell things and eat (though I still don't know where it goes.). We don't starve, we don't get thirsty, and since we're dead already, we can't die in a normal way. We eat (if we want to) for the taste and nostalgia of life. We do all the stuff humans do for the same reason. The rumor of spirits who could hurt was started by a vengeful ghost. Normally, people don't even notice us when we walk amongst them. It's only when a vengeful ghost attacks someone that our bad name flies even higher.

Most of us are good, but some are bad. But there isn't really a 'bad' or a 'good'. There are 'unhurt' and 'hurt'.

This is probably confusing, but over time, it will clear up. Besides, I'm a 12 year old kid mentally and physically. I don't think anything is bad or good. :P

Normally, on a normal day, I fly around pretending to be a guy named 'Peter pan' that I heard about from a spirit from a different universe. This day, though, was different. I had flown up above the trees that had grown where my hometown had been, and was about to start fighting a 'Captain Hook' character, when I spotted a dot on the shore. I was curious, so I turned completely translucent, and floated down to see.

Pirates.

Normally, that's enough to scare someone out of their wits, but I'm a ghost, and I'm 12. Curiosity killed the cat? Hah! I'm already dead! *raspberry*

I hovered about ten feet in the air with a position like I was hanging on my stomach over a tree branch. Arms and legs pointed towards the ground, waist bent, head up. My hair, defying the law of gravity, floated around my hat, which was holding the majority of my hair down.

_Pirates huh…hmm?_ I had seen their Jolly Roger. It was a skull on its side on top of the crossed bones, and there was a heart bit in its skull. My gaze flicked down at a thunderous noise.

"WHO IS THE FAIREST PIRATE IN ALL OF THE SEAS?!" an extremely obese woman shouted. The force of the shout sent me pin-wheeling backwards a few feet. I lay on my back in the air for a few seconds before sitting up cross-legged and crossing my arms with a pout.

_That hurt my ears…_ I stuck my tongue out at the black haired lady even though she couldn't see me.

"That would be you! Alvida-sama!" the rest of the ships people shouted. I imagined a sword in my hand, and it appeared. I grabbed it and danced in the air.

_Yo ho yo ho a pirates life for me!_ I sang in my head. I swung the sword through the air a few times, imagining myself fighting off hordes of marines while the pirates disembarked and set up a shack by the woods. _Boom boom! PPhhhhhh thrthrthrthrthr shing! CRASH!_ I giggled as my imaginary foes ran away screaming. I let my sword fade away, and looked back at the crew. There was one who looked out of place, so I floated down to get a better look.

He was small and pudgy, wearing a marine striped t-shirt and navy blue pants and tennis shoes. He had round glasses perched on his nose, and pink hair. Pink hair. I blinked. Had a unicorn decided to bless him with the color when he was born? I lifted a lock and examined it closely. I could see no sparkles. Disappointed, I let the lock drop, and flew back to my clearing.

The clearing was beautiful, and had flowers growing in it. I twirled around for a few minutes, pretending that I was a fairy in a fairy circle, and we were creating the most beautiful rainbow. I finished the dance by chasing after my hat, which was blown off my head. I flew after it, and crashed into something soft.

"AAAAH!" shouted a youngish voice.

"AAAAH!" I shouted back, grabbing my hat off of the ground and pulling it back onto my head.

"A GHOST!" it was pink-hair. I decided to play dumb.

"WHERE?!" I looked around in fake panic, trying not to giggle.

"YOU ARE!" he was pointing at me. I couldn't take it any longer, and giggled.

"Well of course I am, dummy!" I said brightly. "I'm not translucent because of a Devils Fruit!" I smiled at him, and floated above the ground, my gloved hands resting behind my head. He gaped at me.

"Hi there, pinky! My name is Aave! You?" he appeared flustered for a few moments before responding rather politely.

"My name is Coby." He said, holding out his hand. "Nice to meet you Aave." I grasped it, and he shivered from the contact. Touching a ghost is apparently like jumping into an ice cold lake. Not that I would know. I _am_ a ghost, so I don't feel it. I noticed that he was sweating and his knees were knocking together. I crossed my arms and pouted.

"You can't be cold and warm at the same time." I said in my most pouty voice. He stared at me for a moment, all thoughts of hot or cold gone, and then laughed nervously.

"Well, I'm f-f-frightened see." He said with another nervous laugh. I was confused, and blinked a few times.

"What is there to be frightened about?" I asked curiously. He looked from side to side.

"Uum…you and…Alvida." He said this last name in a whisper. I laughed cheerily.

"You don't need to be frightened of _me_!" I said airily. "I'm mostly harmless!"

"M-m-m-m-mostly?" the knock in his knees was back.

"Yup! Just don't touch my hat or watch, and we're golden!" I gasped as I thought of something. "Ne, ne, Coby?"

"Yes?"

"Do you think that if we were able to find the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, the leprechaun would paint us gold?" I asked excitedly. My eyes had sparkles in them, and the air around me was shining with anticipation. Coby sweatdropped.

"What, like with a paint brush?" he asked. I nodded fast. Another sweatdrop appeared over his head. "I don't know…how old are you anyway?" I pouted, crossing my arms.

"Which do you mean?" I asked. "How long have I been around, or how long I was alive?" There was a pause as Coby stammered apologies and waved his hands in front of him.

"B-both I guess." He said after a while. I grinned happily at him.

"Well, I died when I was 12, and I've been around as a ghost for 410 years, so I'm 422 years old I guess." I watched as he fell to the side, and then laughed until tears were (figuratively) streaming from my eyes.

"You're funny, Coby!" I said as he stood up and stared at me with a shocked look on his face. I did a few somersaults in the air, and imagined a teddy bear.

"Poof" I said as the teddy bear appeared in front of me. I imagined a small top hat and cape for it, and a cane, and then attached them to the bear as they appeared. I looked over to Coby, and saw him looking through the trees in fear.

"What's wrong, Coby? Kuma." I asked in as deep a voice as mine would allow me to go. Coby looked back and saw only the bear moving on the ground. I was floating an inch from the top, invisible. He laughed for reals this time, and I found that I liked it when he laughed for reals better than he did when he was nervous.

"Is that you, Aave?" He asked, squatting down until he was face to face with the semi-translucent teddy-bear. I grinned, and made the bear bow.

"No, kuma. I am…" I paused, trying to think up a name, "St. Bearnaby Bearette Angelique Vann Marco the third, kuma." More sweatdrops appeared on Coby's head as I listed off the long name.

"Ok." He said, holding out his hand. "My name is Coby, it's nice to meet you, St. Bearnaby Bearette Angelique Vann Marco the third." I giggled, and placed my teddy bears small paw in Coby's much bigger hand.

"'Tis a pleasure, kuma. Would you be my friend, kuma?" I asked hopefully, looking up into Coby's face. It had been so long since my last friend…

"Of course!" Coby said with a smile. I laughed, and made St. Bearnaby Bearette Angelique Vann Marco the third do a little victory dance.

"COOOBYY!" A fearsome and irritating voice called out. Coby jumped, and I saw the fear that had almost vanished as he was talking to the bear return in an instant. I frowned as he turned to me.

"I have to go now, Aave, St. Bearnaby Bearette Angelique Vann Marco the third." I smiled as I made myself visible again.

"Can I see you again?" I asked hopefully. Coby grinned.

"Of course! We're friends, aren't we?" I grinned wider, and looked at Bearnaby. I concentrated until a furrow appeared in between my eyebrows.

"POP!" I shouted as Bearnaby became real. It fell through my hands onto the grass, and I picked it up and flew over to Coby's retreating form.

"Coby!" I called, almost bumping into him again. The small boy looked at me in confusion.

"Yes?"

"Promise to see me again?" I asked, holding out the teddy bear. Now that it was real, I could see that Bearnaby had fuzzy purple fur, round black bead eyes, and a lighter purple nose. His cape was red, as was his top hat perched smartly on his head. The cane attached to his paw looked like it was shiny metal of some kind. Coby looked at Bearnaby for a second, before taking it and hugging it.

"I promise!" He said.

"COOOOOBYY!" Coby jumped.

"I'll see you later, ok? I have to go before she kills me!" I smiled and waved after Coby and Bearnaby's retreating forms. He promised I would see him again.

And I did see him again. Alvida had apparently decided that my island was a great place for her base, and had permanently moved onto the beach. For two years we visited with each other, and I helped him to build an escape boat. (He did most of the building while I sang what he called nonsense songs and played with Bearetta, Bearnaby's sister.)

Two years later, Coby looked more grown up, but still was scared stiff of Alvida and her iron mace. All throughout those two years, I played pranks on the ugly lady. I deformed her mirror, rearranged her room while she was sleeping, replaced the salt with the sugar, and other things that other people would consider childish, but I thought were genius. Coby always kept Bearnaby tucked into his belt, and soldiered through the name calling thrown his way for it. It was a somewhat peaceful life, and then everything changed.

I was hanging over Coby and glaring at the ugly woman in front of us. I was invisible to everyone (excepting Coby), and made the most of it by pulling the corners of my eyes down and sticking out my tongue. I then pushed up the tip of my nose until it looked like a pig snout and made snorting noises. Coby was shaking, and I suspected that he wasn't shaking because he thought that what I was doing was funny, but because he was scared of Alvida. I scowled at her. She had just finished beating up a crony with her iron mace for not dusting the bulwark. I thought it was stupid.

"Coby!" She planted the mace solidly onto her shoulder. "_Who_ is the _fairest_ throughout _all_ of the seas?"

"Not you, pig." I said, sticking my tongue out at her. Of course she couldn't hear me. I had learned early on that if I actually voiced my opinions so she could hear them, she would blame one of the crew….mainly Coby. Coby responded 'correctly'.

"Ahem…heh heh…" he scratched his head while he laughed nervously. My scowl deepened. "Why _you_ are…Lady Alvida." He said. "No one compares to you." I sighed and started to swim in the air.

"_As I was walking_ _down Paradise Street, to me, weigh, hey, blow the man down. A pretty young damsel I chanced for to meet, give me some time to blow the man down…_" I stopped singing as I saw Alvida kick Coby on the head. I felt anger surge through me, and the sky above the island suddenly became cloudy.

"Calm down!" I heard Coby whisper as he polished Alvida's shoes. I blinked, and the feeling was gone, as were the clouds. I tightly reigned in my emotions as Coby was kicked by Alvida again.

"THAT'S ENOUGH! YOU'RE PATHETIC!" Pig-Alvida shouted. I blew a raspberry at her. _Ppppphhhhhhtttthhh_

"Heh heh…sorry." My anger turned to worry as I noticed that Coby's cheek was bleeding. I hovered over him worriedly as Alvida gave him her next orders in a yell.

"IF YOU'VE GOT TIME TO GROVEL, YOU'VE GOT TIME TO SCRUB THE TOILET!" I scowled at her as I placed an ungloved hand on Coby's owie. He was getting better at not shivering whenever I touched him, and when he got hurt, my ghosty hand acted as a very good icepack.

"Yes M'lady…right away!" There was a pause as Coby held back tears. "…right away…" I kept my hand on his face as I moved with him off of the ship. Then I noticed something weird.

"I believe in genies!" I shouted, shooting over to a barrel that was beached. I flew circles around it, waiting for Coby to catch up.

"Genies?" Coby asked as he started to roll the barrel to the shed. I nodded, humming Bink's Sake under my breath.

"Genies come out of barrels…or was it bottles...and grant three wishes!" I said triumphantly. Coby laughed, and I grinned, glad that my friend was laughing for reals.

"Where'd you hear that one?" he asked. "I've never heard it before." I floated until I was in front of him and then turned around and flew backwards, kicking my unshod feet underneath me.

"From a ghost from another dimension." I said with a grin. She was the same ghost who had told me about Neverland. Second star to the right and straight on till morning. I especially liked Tinkerbell. Coby's eyes widened.

"There are other dimensions?" He asked in a wondering voice. I nodded enthusiastically.

"Yup! So unicorns named Bob are real!" I shouted this last bit at the sky, shaking my fist. A sweatdrop rolled down Coby's head.

"How do you figure that?" he asked as we reached the shed.

"I just know." I answered happily, breezing past the pirate in the doorway to get inside.

"What's _that_, Coby?" asked one of the pirates in charge of counting supplies. "Did a barrel of rum wash up the beach?"

"Rum? I thought it was a genie!" I pouted and floated up to the roof of the shed, stopping myself before I actually floated through it. _Genies are waaay better than _rum_. Genies grant three wishes. Rum just makes your head all spinney._ Coby rolled the barrel inside after some one sided discussion on what to do with it. The three guys who were occupying the shed for the moment wanted to drink what was inside it. Coby was helpless to refuse.

"We're the only ones here." The fat one with stripey clothes was saying. "Just Coby and the three of us know about this." I snickered at his obliviousness.

"Yeah, you're right." The one who had been in the doorway said.

"And you aint seen nothing, right Coby?" Stripy said.

"Ahaha…right! I aint seen nothing! Heh heh…please don't hit me." Coby responded shakily. _Bad grammer, and bad manners. This isn't how pirates back _then_ acted…_I crossed my arms and summoned Bearetta. She was wearing a 'Red Riding Hood' outfit. I yelped and almost dropped her when the barrel's top suddenly exploded and a person appeared shouting;

"THAT WAS A GREAT NAP!" The boy shouted. I stared at him wide eyed, and in the process lost the hold I had on my translucency. Suddenly, I was visible to everyone. I didn't notice this right away though, because I was busy staring at the barrel-boy. He was wearing a strawhat on his head that had a red ribbon running around it. His hair was black and messy, and he had a scar under his left eye. He wore a red vest that was held shut with three yellow buttons, and jean pants. He was still in the barrel, so I couldn't see the rest of him, but I was interested in his smile. It was happy-go-lucky to the point of stupidity.

"Hmm, looks like I survived somehow!" He was saying. His hands were clenched, and he was stretching them above his head. "I got so dizzy I thought I was gonna barf! Hahahaha!" Finally, he seemed to notice the people in front of him. "…?!" There was a pause, and his eyes wandered a little bit up to me. A look of surprise crossed his face for a moment, but he turned back to the people in front of him.

"Who are you guys?" He asked with a frown. _A genie?_ I thought confusedly. I tilted my head to the side and clutched tighter to Bearetta.

"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?!" Shouted the three baddies in synch.

"WHAT WERE YOU DOING IN THERE?!" Shouted Stripy in Strawhat's face. Strawhat didn't seem to like that very much.

"BACK TO WORK YOU SCURVY DOGS!" Shouted the well hated voice of Alvida. I hear a sound like a _whup whup whup CRASH_ and then her mace destroyed most of the shed and sent Coby and Strawhat rolling into the forest and the direction of my meadow. I gasped and flew after them. _A genie?_ Ahed of me, I saw that Coby had come to a stop, and was now chasing after Strawhat's barrel. I caught up to him quickly and flew beside him, adjusting Bearnaby in Coby's belt so it wouldn't fall.

"Told you it was a genie!" I said happily. Coby fell, his arms out in front of him. I sweatdropped. "Are you okay, Coby?" We ran for a while longer and finally reached Strawhat.

"Um, are you ok? Are you hurt? After being knocked around so much, you must be-"

"Shishishishi! I'm fine, just a little surprised is all." Strawhat said. He seemed friendly enough. "My name's Luffy! Where am I?" Coby looked at me. Stra-Luffy looked at me. Wait…Luffy looked at me?

"Can you see me?" I asked tentatively, dreading the answer.

"Yup." He was very nonchalant about it. _Oh dear…_ I waved to Coby to answer for me.

"This island is the hideout of Ironmace Alvida, the lady pirate. I'm her cabin boy." I rolled in the air silently, and then poked Coby's head. "Hmm?"

"I'm going to sleep in Bearetta." I said, handing the now real bear to him. "Don't drop her or I'll haunt you." I waited until he nodded, and then I slid into Bearetta's now furry blue body and blacked out.

That's what I call it, black out. It's when a ghost needs to think about something, and so they black out for a while, literally dead to the world, to think about it. They need a 'host' though, and it's usually something that doesn't have a soul, like a doll or a stuffed animal. It isn't as creepy as it sounds. When a ghost blacks out in a doll or stuffed animal, the doll or stuffed animal doesn't move, or make any indication that it's housing a ghost. Black out is literally black out. I can't see or hear or move. It's a place to think.

When I woke up, I was in Luffy's hands, and he was holding Bearetta (me) up by her paws.

"Leggo." I demanded. Startled, he dropped Bearetta, and I floated out of her before picking her up and returning her to 'ghost' form. Then I dismissed her. I looked around. We were at the beach, and there was a small boat in front of us. I saw Coby by the boat, looking at me nervously. I hadn't seen that look from him since two years ago, and I didn't like it.

"What's going on?" I asked, looking at Luffy.

"I'm leaving, and Coby's comin' with me." He answered.

"Alvida?" he pointed back at the forest. I nodded, and looked at Coby.

"You're going to become a marine, aren't you." I said, as a statement instead of a question. Coby nodded. I looked at Luffy. "And you?" His grin eclipsed the sun. I wondered if it was possible that the tooth fairy charmed his teeth. I mused, it was possible.

"I'm going to become pirate king!" He announced proudly. I looked at him in slight shock, and rose several inches. I looked at the boat, and then back at the island. Alvida's crew were just casting off, and I knew that there wasn't any _real_ wildlife to speak of. I turned back to them.

"Can I come with?" I asked. "I've always wanted to be a pirate." Luffy grinned.

"Sure! Join my pirate crew ghostie!" I stuck my tongue out at him.

"No! But I'm going to haunt your ship until I find a crew to join." I said with a grin. I would join when he gave me no room to say no. He pouted childishly.

"But what about your memories here?" Coby asked. I looked at him blandly.

"I love memories, but I have my treasures right here." I pointed at my hat and watch. "And the island has just been a shadow for around 200 years." Coby looked confused. I smiled. "You'll see when we get far enough away."

I floated above the boat while we drifted away from the Island. Suddenly, it started to flicker, and then it disappeared. Coby gasped. Luffy laughed, and I settled onto the tip of the mast.

"_She was round in the corner and bluff in the bow, to me, weigh, hey, blow the man down. So I took in all sail and cried, "Way enough now" give me some time to blow the man down…."_

**:) I hope you like!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Ureshiitamago: ^.^ hey thar! I'm back!**

**Aave: And so am I! **

**Ureshiitamago: We would like to thank**

**Aave: mks 12 98**

**Ureshiitamago: The Utterly Fabulous Z**

**Aave: and Magic126 for following**

**Ureshiitamago: or favoriteing this story!**

**Luffy: ureshiitamago doesn't own One Piece. Can I have some meat?**

**Ureshiitamago: *shoves fridge at Luffy.* Knock yourself out.**

**Luffy: Yay!**

**Ureshiitamago: Ah, I don't own the song "Blow the Man Down" either.**

_I floated above the boat while we drifted away from the Island. Suddenly, it started to flicker, and then it disappeared. Coby gasped. Luffy laughed, and I settled onto the tip of the mast. _

"She was round in the corner and bluff in the bow, to me, weigh, hey, blow the man down. So I took in all sail and cried, "Way enough now" give me some time to blow the man down…."

**Chapter 2: A Ghost of a Time**

I hummed Bink's Sake under my breath as I listened to the boys below me talking to each other.

"You must've eaten the fruit of the Gomu-gomu tree." Coby was saying. They had explained to me what had happened while I was blacked out, and I was happy that I was now haunting Luffy's boat. "Incredible!" I sweatdropped as I reached my favorite verse of Bink's Sake. _Normally, marines don't go around being impressed by pirates…_I thought, sipping the tea that was served to me by the Fairy Queen herself.

"But Luffy, if you're going after the One Piece…" I did a spit take, and looked down with wide eyes. "That means you'll have to enter the Grand Line." Coby went on. The boat rocked in the waves, and from my place on the tip top of the mast, I swayed several feet to each side.

"Yep!" Luffy responded airily. I felt like I was in a storm, and wondered if storms could play games…it could be possible.

"They call it the Pirates Graveyard!" Coby said. I could tell that he wanted to dissuade Luffy. I could also tell that he wasn't going to be able to. Hm…One Piece…I had heard that name before. From someone passing by my island definitely. I stared up at the tranquil blue sky where there wasn't a cloud in sight.

"That's why I'm assembling a _super crew_." Luffy calmly responded. Was it that one crew that drank a lot and thought I was a human kid? No. I held my hand up to my face, and giggled as a rainbow emerged through my hand.

"Starting with Aave." I looked down.

"I'm haunting your ship. I'm not on your crew, there's a difference." I shouted down at them, throwing the ghostly cup of tea at him. It passed right through him as he laughed.

"Oh yeah!" He turned to Coby. Luffy was perched rather precariously on the figurehead for someone who was an anchor. Luffy pointed at Coby. "That guy imprisoned at the Navy Base in Shell Town…what's his name?" I floated off of the tip of the mast to change my position, and then I started to twirl on the tip, pretending I was a world famous dancer.

"Roronoa Zoro." Coby replied. I hummed a few bars of Blow the Man Down, and brought out Bearetta to dance with.

"If he's a good guy, I'll let him join my crew!" Luffy said with a laugh. I got bored and floated down to where they were.

"Rock paper scissors!" I demanded, and Luffy started to play with me. There was some silence from Coby as he watched me lose over and over. I figured he was just processing what Luffy had said.

"NOW YOU'RE TALKING CRAZY AGAIN!" He finally shouted. I groaned as I lost again. "NEVER NEVER NEVER! THAT'S NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN! THAT GUY'S A DEMONIC BEAST!" I laughed, and did a somersault in the air when I finally won.

"YATA*!" I yelled happily.

"How do _you_ know?" Luffy asked Coby, absently patting my head. I made a cat face and started to purr. Coby looked at me, and a sweatdrop rolled down his head.

"I didn't think it was possible for someone to do that." He remarked. I grinned at him.

"I'm dead, I can do what I want." I said cheerily. "Cat's cradle!" I shouted, imagining up some string. "Poof!" "Pop!" Luffy and I started to play cats' cradle while Coby watched in slight amusement and exasperation.

**Day 2**

"…A demonic beast huh?" Luffy said, sitting on the figurehead again. I was staring at his hat while invisible, trying to figure out if I had seen it before or not. Did I? My face grew lighter. Didn't I? I frowned. Did I? I started the cycle over, unaware that I was becoming not invisible again. _Fluffy kittens wearing tutus._ I finally thought, giving up on the hat for a bit.

"Roronoa Zoro is his real name." Coby said, adjusting the top hat on St. Bearnaby Bearette Angelique Vann Marco the thirds head. "But most people call him 'Pirate Hunter Zoro'." Facts…factitions…factify…factitious…factilion…factamillion…

"He's like a blood thirst hound." Coby went on, looking up and adjusting his glasses and setting Bearnaby in his lap. "Roaming the seas, hunting men for the bounties on their heads…"

"Maybe he got lost?" I suggested, combing Margareta's hair. Margareta was the Queen of Ifnargal, and had the most beautiful hair in the land. I was her maidservant, and my job was to brush her hair until it shone. Coby laughed nervously.

"I don't think so…" He turned back to Luffy. "They say he's a demon in human form."

"Demons don't take human form. They're too arrogant about their own form." I said in a snooty voice, trying to sound like a noble woman's maidservant. I frowned at my attempt. Maybe I used too much snoot in my snooty? Coby blinked at me as I continued to comb Margareta's hair.

"Hmmm…" Luffy was also looking at me, but I couldn't read his expression.

"Oh, lady Margareta! Your hair is as beautiful as always!" I gushed to her. Both Coby and Luffy blinked in synch, and then Luffy laughed heartily. I ignored him, and continued to comb Margareta's hair. Coby went back to trying to dissuade Luffy from asking Zoro to join his crew.

"Luffy, he's a pirate hunter! Pirate hunters don't mix well with pirates!" Coby looked worried for our new friend. I looked up at the sun, which was uncovered by the clouds that were in the sky.

"I haven't decided whether I'll invite him to join my crew or not." Luffy said, turning to face Coby. "If he's a good guy, then I'll—"

"HE'S IN PRISON BECAUSE HE'S _NOT_ A GOOD GUY!" Coby interrupted. I finally finished combing Margareta's hair.

"Patty-cake!" I demanded from Luffy. He laughed and obliged.

It was night time, and I was staring at the stars in a trance. Well not really stars. They were pearls that a giant had dropped, and someday the giant would notice and come back to pick them up. Until that day, I resolved to stare at the stars until I couldn't take it. I looked down at the boys from my place on the mast. Luffy was lying sprawled almost on top of Coby, and he was snoring away, muttering now and then about meat. Coby was curled up into a tiny ball, and muttering now and then about marines. I giggled, and looked out over the ocean. According to Coby, we were only another day away from Shell town. I looked back down at Luffy.

Normally, ghosts could go wherever they wanted. Normally, they moved about as they wished. I looked back in the direction of my island. Except for me. I had been so attached to my island that I never let it go. Even after it sank beneath the waves, never to be seen again. What I had lived on, and what Alvida had found, was a memory, a shadow of the island. I had been told by passing ghosts that I had a lot of imagination. They never really guessed how much.

Over time, I began to notice that I couldn't move. Leave the island, I mean. At first I thought it was a fairy prank, and left it alone for a while. But then I tried to leave again. I panicked and was scared for the longest time. I couldn't leave, the island wouldn't let me. The product of my memory and imagination had become a nightmare I couldn't get out of, couldn't wake up from. How could I? I was dead.

After a while, I grew to accept that I wouldn't be able to leave, and I 'got on with life'. (Even though I'm dead.) Then Coby showed up, and brought with him stories of the outside world. He also brought friendship.

I began to realize that I could travel farther and farther outside of the island about half a year into his stay. This excited me, and scared me at the same time. When I went far enough out, I noticed that the island would start to flicker, like it was going to disappear. I resolved to stay until Coby left.

And then Luffy came. I looked down at Luffy from my perch.

"Thank you." I whispered with a smile, looking back up at the pearls in the sky. I didn't notice Luffy's smile grow a little bigger.

**Day 3**

"_I hailed her in English, she answered me clear, to me, weigh, hey, blow the man down. "I'm from the Black Arrow bound to the Shakespeare" give me some time to blow the man down."_ I belted out at the top of my voice. I was bored. Incredibly bored. I looked down at Luffy, who was taking a nap. An evil grin spread across my face as I got an idea. An awful idea. I came up with a wonderful, _awful_ idea. I imagined up several colors of markers, and floated quietly down to Luffy. Coby was in the back, steering the boat, and he looked at me curiously. I put my finger to my lips.

"_Sssshiii."_ And then I began working once he had nodded. I drew a yellow/orange handle bar moustache, and a pointy little silver beard on Luffy's face, and then I drew green eyes on his eyelids, and little swirls on his cheeks in pink. I had just finished drawing a red cat nose on his nose when he yawned and stretched. I squeeked, and popped invisible along with my markers, which I dismissed, and then I flew up to my perch as quick as a flash.

"_So I tailed her my flipper and took her in tow, to me, weigh, hey, blow the man down. And yardarm in yardarm away did we go, give me some time to blow the man down._" I warbled. Coby was trying very hard not to laugh, and failing miserably. Luffy looked at him inquisitively, but all Coby did was point at him face.

"You _rat_, Coby!" I shouted before falling silent with giggles. Luffy pointed at his face and then peered over the rail of the boat and into the water. I waited for the shout of anger, and was surprised with a loud laugh. Luffy was on the bottom of the boat, rolling around, and laughing his guts out.

"Wahahahahahahaa! That's great!" He laughed. "Did you do that Aave?" He called up to my perch. I popped back to not invisible, and grinned at him, tipping my cap in acknowledgement. He laughed heartily again, and proceeded to try and scoop water out of the sea to try and wash it off. Instead, he drooped over the side, and groaned.

"Soooooo…..tiiiireeed….." he moaned. My eyes widened, and I exchanged a glance with Coby.

"Pull him out!" My voice was high pitched and panicked, and Coby lunged across the small boat to pull Luffy back in. Luffy's face was half washed, and looked rather comical with only half a handlebar moustache. I hovered around them as Coby washed off the rest of the marker from Luffy's face. Finally, Luffy seemed to gather his strength back up, and sat up, apparently none the worse for wear. I, on the other hand, was flustering around, scared out of my wits, afraid that I had almost killed him.

"I'm sorry!" I wailed for the fifth time, sounding very much like one of those Wraiths that wail and drag chains across the floor in the attic of unsuspecting peoples' houses. Luffy laughed, and patted my head again. I was crying crocodile tears, and sniffing loudly.

"Its fine, Aave! No harm, no foul!" he said cheerily. I sniffed again and glumly imagined an execution. Or was it a memory?...No, it was an imagination.

"B-b-b-but…" he pulled my hat over my eyes.

"I'm fine!" I sniffed, wiping away tear, and then pulled his hat over his eyes. He laughed in surprise.

"Ne, Aave?" Luffy asked.

"Yes?" I said, finally getting control of my emotions.

"How did you die?" he asked. I stared at him in surprise. No one had actually asked that to my face before. I had told Coby when a year had gone by, and I had asked him if he wanted to know.

"I was sick." I answered. Luffy got a confused look on his face, and tilted his head to the side. "It was a gen-gen-genatic?"

"Genetic" corrected Coby. I grinned at him in thanks.

"Genetic thingie which made me feel weird." I elaborated.

"Weird how?" Luffy asked. I frowned as I thought. I didn't really understand much about the time up to when I died. I just knew that I was awake and looking out my window at the sea one minute, and then the next I was floating over my body and having tea with a shinigami.

"I felt heavy…like I was being pressed into the bed." I ventured. "I would also see things that other people couldn't…what did the doctor call them…halugenons?"

"Hallucinations?" Coby suggested. I nodded enthusiastically.

"Yeah! That!" I said, swimming through the air and humming randomly. Luffy nodded seriously.

"So, a mystery sickness." He said, like he knew what he was talking about. I laughed loudly as Coby fell to the side.

Later that day, we arrived at Shell town.

"We're finally here!" Luffy laughed, pointing at the city. "We made it to Shell town!" I floated above him, hand poised above his strawhat. I made a grab for it, but he ducked. I pouted, disappointed, and went after it again. I was invisible to everyone except for Luffy and Coby, so it probably looked as though Luffy had seen something on the ground and bent over to look at it closer.

"Yeah, we finally made it!" Coby sounded relieved, and I suspected that being cooped up on a boat in the middle of the sea with two childish people (even though I _was_ a child) for three days.

"Coby, you're amazing!" Luffy said, turning to Coby. He had a hand holding his hat on his head, and I was trying to find a way around it. I pulled Bearetta out of the air, and discussed my predicament with her quietly.

"Huh?" Coby asked, a little confused.

"You actually got us to our destination!" Luffy explained. He swooped again to avoid my attempt at freeing the hat from his hand. I growled and fell back. _Tactical retreat!_

"Of course I did!" Coby said, looking a little worried. "That's the minimal requirement for people who sail the seas." I flew up into the air a few feet, and then dived down until I was two inches above Luffy, and then I made a grab for his hat. I missed and flew through Coby instead, who turned blue from the cold.

"Oops. Sorry." I said, sweatdropping as Coby started to shiver and rub his arms. Coby coughed into his fist as soon as he regained his warmth.

"Luffy, if you keep randomly floating around, you'll never become a pirate." He scolded, "You should find a Navigator for your crew." I couldn't resist the temptation. I imagined myself wearing a stereotypical woman pirate outfit, complete with an eye patch and cutlass. "Poof" I swished the sword through the air as the other two watched me.

"I randomly float around, and _I'm_ a pirate! Arr!" I cried, flicking the cutlass around before imagining myself back in my normal clothes. "Poof" I was back in my original outfit. Luffy had sparkles in his eyes.

"Wow! How did you _do_ that?" his stomach growled… "I think about the Navigator thing later. But first, lunch!" He started off, and I followed, laughing at Coby's dumbstruck expression.

As Luffy and Coby walked down the street, I floated above them, plotting with Bearetta (whose real name was Lady Bearetta Bearnacle Orlanda Sardinia the fifth) on how to snatch Luffy's hat. I didn't really want to win, it was the chase that was fun and exciting, along with the plotting. I pretended that Bearetta and I were evil sorcerers, plotting on stealing the worlds treasure, the golden hat of Sunspot! The keeper was the hero Luffy, who was currently chowing down in a restaurant called Food Foo with his sidekicks, Coby and St. Bearnaby Bearette Angelique Vann Marco the third. I chuckled evilly, and then made a squeakier evil giggle for Bearetta.

"This is it, Bearetta!" I crowed in my best evil sorcerer voice. "While the hero and his sidekicks are eating, we can procure the hat of legend!" I announced loudly. Evil sorcerers always announced their incredibly evil plans loudly. They also cackled evilly after they were done announcing, so that's what I did. I threw my head back and cackled as evilly as I could muster.

"Yes!" I squeeked for Bearetta's voice. "And then we can conquer the world of hats!" I giggled for her manically.

"You _do_ know we can hear you, right?" Luffy asked, shoveling more food into his mouth. Bearetta and I stared at him for a moment. He looked extremely amused at the situation. Then I screamed.

"AAAAAAAH! Oh no, Bearetta! What do we do?! The hero and his sidekicks have heard our dastardly plan! Our plot is ruined!" Coby started to laugh, and then stopped, staring up at us critically.

"I'm a sidekick?" He asked dubiously.

"For now." I said with a wave of my hand. Luffy burped and sat back in his chair, finally done eating.

"Well Coby, I guess this is where we go our separate ways." He said, patting his stomach. Bearetta and I crept closer to the golden hat of Sunspot. "I hope you enjoy the marines and become a good sailor." He went on, most likely aware that Bearetta and I were within an arms distance of his hat.

"Thank you, Luffy and Aave!" Coby sobbed, crying into his arm. "And I hope you two become good pirates!"

"Even though we'll be enemies!" I said brightly, ignoring the fact that Luffy had grabbed my arm in time for his hat not to get stolen. Luffy let go of my arm, and I floated down until my striped sock enshrouded toes were barely brushing the floor.

"Hey, I just remembered…" Luffy said, holding up a finger, "that guy is supposed to be here—Roronoa Zoro…" There was a loud crash, and I whipped around to see all of the other restaurant customers against the wall, shivering with fright. There were tables upended everywhere. I grabbed my hat as it lifted of my faded brown hair, and plopped it back down on my head.

'_Maybe you shouldn't say that name here…'_ Coby suggested in a whisper. He continued to talk in a normal voice. "I saw a poster that said that Captain Morgan is at this base." There was another loud crash, and I watched in amusement and a little bit of apprehension as the other customers gave Captain Morgan's name an even larger scared reaction than Zoro's name had. We left the restaurant with laughter. Well, Luffy and I did, Coby looked scared.

"Shishishishi! What a great restaurant! I want to go back there again!" Luffy said, holding his stomach. I was swimming on my back in the air between Luffy and Coby, slightly invisible so that they could still see each other.

"Everyone is so jumpy" Coby said worriedly, "I'm getting a bad feeling about this…"

"I can understand why they'd be so nervous when they hear Roronoa Zoro's name—he could escape at any moment." Coby went on. "But why'd they get nervous hearing the Captains name?"

"Who knows?" Luffy said. "Maybe they just got carried away."

"…" I was still swimming on my back and looking up at the sky.

"WHY WOULD THAT HAPPEN?" Coby shouted. "I'm trying to think seriously here…" He looked at me. "What do _you_ think, Aave?" I smiled at the sky.

"The sky sure is blue!" I said happily. Coby grew shark teeth.

"THAT DOESN'T PERTAIN TO THE CONVERSATION!" he shouted while Luffy laughed.

**5 minutes of cracks and trying to steal Luffy's hat later**

"Ew. That's disgusting." I said, wrinkling my nose at the sight.

"It looks so big up close!" Coby said in awe. I crossed my arms and pouted, glaring at the ugly marine base with narrowed washed out blue eyes.

"Still ugly and disgusting." I said grumpily.

"I agree with you." Luffy said with a nod. He then turned to Coby. "Go on in, Coby!" he encouraged. Coby twiddled his fingers and looked slightly nervous.

"But I haven't mentally prepared myself yet…" he said in a shaky voice, "and those people sure were scared when they heard the Captain's name…" Luffy ignored him and ran forward, jumping onto the wall. "Luffy! What are you doing?!" Coby cried after him. I flew through the wall, coming to a stop at the other side. I looked up at Luffy.

"I wonder if I can see…" he said, glancing around, "the demonic beast from here." We each saw the figure at the exact same moment, and he motioned for me to go. I nodded, and flew towards the cross in the middle of the yard space, Coby's voice fading as I got closer.

I arrived there first, and to say that the man on the cross made a terrifying picture was an understatement. In my shock, I almost lost my invisibility, but quickly got back under control. The man had a black bandana tied onto his head, but I could see green sideburns if I peered closely. He was wearing a simple white partial button t-shirt, black pants, and black boots. He had a green Haramaki sash around his waist. I heard some noises behind me, and turned to see Luffy precariously hanging on the other side of the wall by his arms. Coby's head peeked up cautiously next to him, before disappearing with a frightened scream. Luffy didn't look too alarmed, so I didn't bother going back through the wall.

"….RORONOA ZORO….MENACING!" I only caught parts of what Coby said (rather, shouted), but what I did hear gave me the impression that this was, in fact, Roronoa Zoro. _Bounty hunters have green hair?_ I thought to myself.

"Aave!" Luffy called. I glanced back at him. "Move to the side! I can't see him!" I smiled, and slide to the side a few feet. I saw Luffy's mouth moving, but couldn't hear him. It must've had something to do with setting Roronoa Zoro free, though, because Coby shouted against that. I jumped a few feet in the air when the man next to me started talking loud enough that Luffy could hear him on the wall.

"Hey kid!" he called. His voice was deep and raspy. "Come over here…and untie me…I've been here for nine days, and _I can't take it anymore_!" A feral grin spread across his face, made even scarier by the blood running down his face.

"I'll make it worth your while." He continued, trying to cut a deal. "I'll capture someone with a big price on their head and give all the bounty to you." He shifted a little bit so he was putting some of his weight on his heels. His feet were kicked out in front of him, and he was tied to the cross so that all of his weight was on his arms.

"You can trust me." He promised Luffy. "I'm a man of my word."

"D-DON'T DO IT, LUFFY!" Coby yelled in fright. "AS SOON AS YOU UNTIE HIM, HE'LL KILL US AND GET AWAY! I JUST KNOW IT!" I looked at the frightening figure on the cross, and faintly heard his stomach grumble. _Hungry and with a head injury? That'd be cool…_

"He couldn't. I wouldn't let him." I heard Luffy say. He had a smile on his face, and his eyes were glinting.

"Hah?" Zoro had a dangerous look in his eyes. Coby seemed to think that Luffy had a big head, but I was too busy thinking about something else to think about something small like that. _Is being dead really that bad?_ I wondered, floating next to Zoro. 

***I did it**

**Next time; we meet a little girl! XD hope you liked it!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Ureshiitamago: *sings* Yo ho haul together, hoist the colors high! Heave ho, thieves and beggers, never say we die!**

**Aave: *giggle* I'm already dead, you silly mortal!**

**Ureshiitamago: Can it, you. It's time to thank the nice people. **

**Aave: Ok! We'd like to thank;**

**Sharkteeth, Gamer's Fantasy, Littlebirdd, Jonax Gale, redtippedquill, sakura-neko-kun, and Neo Gray-sama for following and favoriting this story!**

**Ureshiitamago: You did that well!**

**Aave: *toes ground and blushes* aaaaw, thanks!**

**Ureshiitamago: Also, here's a special thanks/shoutout.**

**Aave: Neo Gray-sama, thank you thank you thank you for the cover! We love it sooo much! *bows Bearetta's head* **

**Ureshiitamago: I'm dedicating this chapter to you!**

**Aave: Yay!**

**Ureshiitamago: Let's get started! Ah, and if you look up Rika post time-skip, that is the age that Aave looks right now. :) **

_ "__He couldn't. I wouldn't let him." I heard Luffy say. He had a smile on his face, and his eyes were glinting. _

_ "__Hah?" Zoro had a dangerous look in his eyes. Coby seemed to think that Luffy had a big head, but I was too busy thinking about something else to think about something small like that. _Is being dead really that bad?_ I wondered, floating next to Zoro._

**Chapter 3: A Ghostly Fight**

I pondered this question for a moment before hitting my fist to my palm in realization. _But they're _alive. I thought. _Of course they think that dead is bad!_ I shrugged. Death hadn't bothered me all that much, even in the beginning. I blinked at a _klunk_ that emmited from the wall area. I looked over to it, and saw a head protrude from the top of the wall. _Can people grow out of walls?_ I wondered absently as a girl who looked about my age _shhhhh_ed Luffy and Coby, then jumped over the wall. Coby was the first to react.

"HEY! D-DON'T GO DOWN THERE!" He shouted, "IT'S DANGEROUS! AAVE, STOP HER!" I pointed at myself, and then the small cute girl in front of me questioningly. Coby nodded vigorously, but I grinned and shook my head. I crossed my arms and stuck out my tongue.

"Nyah nyah, don't want to!" I said. Meanwhile, the girl had gone past me, and had stepped right up to Zoro. I heard Coby try to persuade Luffy to do something as I watched the little girl carefully.

She was younger than my current physical age, and had her hair up in pigtails. She wore a light blue and purple striped one piece dress with a white hood attached to it. On her feet she wore black shoes. I looked at my unshod feet, and then back to her shoes contemplatively. Then I shook my head, dismissing the thought before I thought it.

"Get lost." Zoro said, "do you want to get killed!?" I imagined a jump rope, and started to jump to Miss Mary Mack.

"_Miss Mary Mack Mack Mack_…"

"I made these riceballs for you!" The girl said with the cutest smile in the world on her face. "I thought you might need some food!"

"_All dressed in black black black_…"

"It's the first time I've ever made riceballs," she continued, "I hope you like them."

"_With silver buttons buttons buttons_…"

"I'm…not hungry…" Zoro said in a strained voice. "Now beat it, and take that stuff with you." I frowned as Rika's smile dropped off of her face.

"_All down her back back back_…"

"B-but…" Rika tried to persuade him, but he interrupted with a shout.

"I DON'T WANT IT! NOW GET OUT OF HERE OR I'LL STOMP YOU TO DEATH!"

"_She asked her mother mother mother_…" I started to move around the marine field while skipping rope.

"RORONOA ZORO!" an obnoxious voice shouted. I glanced over, and immediately wished I hadn't. I stopped skipping rope, and made a gagging motion with my hands, and then pretended to throw up. This guy didn't know the _meaning_ of the word 'matching'. I at least knew that my hair didn't match my hat. He obviously didn't know. I skipped rope back over to Zoro's cross thingie that he was tied to.

"_For fifteen cents cents cents…"_

"You shouldn't pick on little girls." Throw-up head said. "I'll tell my father on you!"

"_To see the elephants elephants elephants_…"

"Hmph." Zoro humphed, "Well…if it isn't the _idiot son_, living off of his daddy's tailcoats."

"_Jump over the fence fence fence…"_ I slipped the tidbit of information away for use at a later date, and fell forward so I could skip rope upside down. Right side up was becoming boring.

"Did you just call me an idiot?" Throw-up head asked, putting a hand behind his ear. He had two burly marines flanking him, looking as though they meant business. "A man in your position should guard his tongue…or he could lose it." I imagined a tongue king sitting on a throne, with Zoro guarding him. I giggled at the image.

"_They jumped so high high high…"_

"Little girl…" Throw-up head sneered, snatching up one of the riceballs she had made for Zoro. "Did you bring those riceballs for me? How thoughtful." The girl protested, but Throw-up head took a bite anyway. I watched while singing the next verse.

"_They touched the sky sky sky…"_ I laughed heartily when it was immediately spat out, a look of disgust spreading across his face.

"DISGUSTING!" he shouted, "ITS SWEET! THERE'S SUGAR IN IT!" He turned to the little girl. I had stopped skipping rope, and was instead discussing with Bearetta the different ways to kill him without leaving evidence behind. Bearetta came up with the more extravagant plans.

"RICEBALLS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE SEASONED WITH SALT, NOT SUGAR!"

"So we agree on feeding him to the sharks?" I asked Bearetta.

"Oh, yes!" I said for Bearetta in a falsetto. "Avast ye, mayte!" I shouted in my pirate voice, swinging an imaginary sword at Throw-up head.

"B-but I like sweets, so I figured sugar would be better…" The little girl said fretfully. My heart went out for her, and I decapitated Throw-up guy a few times in my head. I stopped, and stared in shock as Throw-up head guy slapped the remaining riceball out of the little girls' hands, and stomped on it. Fury started to sweep my vision, and I didn't hear anything that was said for a minute or so afterwards. When I got angry at my island, I would call storms. I didn't know if that was the same way here, but I didn't want to find out.

"…ow that brat over the fence." Throw-up head was saying. I took a few deep breaths, and hugged Bearetta to my chest. Evidently, I had gone completely invisible, and Coby was looking around the yard/field thing for me. I quickly lowered my invisibility to only Luffy and Coby, and then turned in time to see one of the Marines' who had accompanied Barf-face into the yard/field pick up the little girl and throw her over the wall. I wasn't too worried, because Luffy was on the other side, so I stayed where I was.

"My, aren't you a stubborn one." Barf-face said to Zoro.

"That's right, I'm going to last out the entire month." Zoro said proudly. "You just keep up your end of the bargain." Barf-head walked away, laughing obnoxiously.

"Wahaha! I wouldn't dream of breaking my word." Somehow, I didn't believe him. "If you survive out here for a month, then I'll let you go." He walked out of the gate, still cackling. "It'll be my pleasure, I'm sure." With that, he waved a hand at Zoro without looking back. He probably thought it made him look cool. It sooo didn't. I stuck my tongue out at his retreating back, and skipped in the air over to Luffy's side. He had climbed over the wall at some point during the conversation.

"_You_ still here?" Zoro asked. Luffy looked at me, and raised an eyebrow. I blinked, trying to figure out if he meant anything. Bearetta reminded me that now was a great time to try for his hat. I slowly reached forward, inch by inch, as Luffy and Zoro chatted. "Better not let Helmeppo's father catch you." Zoro warned, sounding as though he was mocking Bar-face. _Aave approves!_ I thought, punching the air with my fist.

"Look…" Luffy said, dodging my grabbing hand yet again. I pouted, and drew back to try once more. "I'm looking for good men to join my pirate crew. I already have one member." I shouted, becoming visible to Zoro, who looked like his eyes were bugging out at my sudden appearance.

"I AM HAUNTING YOUR SHIP! THERE. IS. A. DIFFERENCE!" I swung my arm up, and pointed at Luffy accusingly. Luffy just grinned, and turned to Zoro, who was still staring at me. I guessed it had to do with the fact that a 12 year old slightly translucent girl holding a stuffed teddy bear had appeared two feet off of the ground.

"So-" Luffy was interrupted by Zoro.

"Pirate crew? You think I'd lower myself to that level? No thanks! And why is she floating?" He nodded to me.

"She's a ghost." Luffy said in a dismissive tone. "More importantly, becoming a pirate is my dream! What's wrong with it?!" He looked at Zoro askance.

"You think if you untie me…" he glanced in my direction, looking a little puzzled still, "I'm gonna join your pirate crew?" he continued, looking back at Luffy. Luffy placed a hand on his hat as I lunged for it again. I clicked my tongue angrily, and kicked my feet, pouting at my failure.

"I haven't decided if I'll ask you yet…" Luffy said with a smile. "You've got a pretty bad reputation, you know."

"Bad reputation, huh?" Zoro chuckled. "Well anyway, I don't go for that kind of deal. I've got plans of my own for the future." I lunged for Luffy's hat again, and he ducked again. I snapped my fingers.

"Che, I was close!" I shouted, holding Bearetta high in the air. "But I failed!" I acted fainting dramatically. Zoro sweatdropped.

"Is there something wrong with her?" Zoro asked Luffy, who shrugged with a grin as he watched me commit fake seppuku. Zoro 'ahemed' to get Luffy's attention.

"I don't need your or that ghost's help." He said. "I can get out of here on my own. All I have to do is last here for a month," he indicated the yard/field with a roll of his head, "then I'm a free man. Captain Morgan's idiot son promised me." I wiped the imaginary blood off of my clothes, and flew back over to Luffy.

"All I've got to do is survive for one month." Zoro repeated, a predatory look in his eyes and grin. "Then I'll be free to pursue my dream."

"Hmm. I see." Nodded Luffy. "I don't think I could last one week without food."

"Me and you are different. I've got more willpower." I raised my hand, making an 'ooo oooo ooooo' sound. "What?" he snapped at me. I grinned.

"I could last forever without food!" I exclaimed, throwing my arms out wide. A tic mark appeared on the side of Zoro's face.

"OF COURSE YOU CAN!" he shouted. I 'meeped' and hid behind Luffy. "YOU'RE A GHOST!" I pouted, and stuck my tongue out at him. He deliberately ignored me, and looked back at Luffy.

"Go look for a crew elsewhere…" Luffy turned to walk away. "…hey, wait a minute." Luffy stopped and looked back. I was making various faces at Zoro, who steadfastly ignored me, though I could see the tic mark growing on his face. This amused me greatly.

"Pick that up for me." Zoro nodded down at the trodden on no-longer-riceballs. Luffy made a face as he picked it up, and I grinned and copied it at Zoro.

"You're not going to eat it!?...It's more of a dirtball than a riceball now…" Luffy dangled one of them in the air above his hand and stared at it. "I know you're hungry, but this—"

"Desperate." I remarked, making my nose into a pig nose.

"Shut up!" Zoro opened his maw to an impressive degree. 'Aah!' "Just shut up and feed it to me! And don't miss one grain of rice." I quit making faces, and watched, fascinated, as Luffy dropped the dirtballs into Zoro's mouth. Instant effect! Zoro started sputtering and choking, but he ate it all. He coughed after he was done, and I noticed that he was sweating.

"I told you it was mostly dirt.." Luffy said, crossing his arms. I was reminded of a teacher I had when I was alive. "You wanna kill yourself?" I switched Bearetta's dress to a more frilly and pinkish one.

"T-tell the kid…" Zoro rasped between coughs.

"Hmm?" Luffy leaned in slightly to hear better.

"Tell her I said it was delicious. Tell her I ate it all." Luffy and I grinned at each other. _He's secretly a softie! _I thought gleefully. I clapped my hands, Bearetta safe in the crook of my elbow. Luffy left soon after, but I stayed to keep Zoro company (torment him some more). He glared at me fiercely.

"Why are _you_ still here?!" He asked. I grinned, and flew around him a few times before responding.

"Play with me!" I demanded, imagining up a deck of cards. He sweatdropped.

"I can't exactly _move_ right now, kid." He said with a sigh. I pouted, and made the cards float in front of him.

"You don't have to." I whined. He still wasn't agreeing. I sighed. I didn't want to have to do _that_. "Pleeeeeaaaase?" He _still_ didn't relent. I muttered a curse on all bandanas, and used _that_. I made my eyes wide and teary, and made my bottom lip quiver just the tiniest bit. _Muhahahahaa!_ It worked.

Later, I threw my imaginary cards into the air in exasperation.

"How do you keep winning?!" I cried. Zoro grinned evilly.

"I have good luck." He said, nodding at the cards. "This is also payback for the puppy-dog eyes from earlier." I straitened up, and pointed at him.

"It isn't _my_ fault you are susceptible to the power of _the eyes_!" I announced in a superior tone. I was practicing for becoming a Lady in the Fairy Queens' court. Zoro's grin widened.

"It _is_ your fault that you used them in the first place." He countered. I pouted, unable to think up a comeback, and then summoned the markers I had used on Luffy earlier that day. Zoro's eyes widened comically as I uncapped the pink one.

"What are you going to do with those?" He asked. I detected a smidge of fear in his voice. I laughed like how I thought 'Captain Hook' would laugh. It was very evil indeed.

"Wouldn't _you_ like to know!?" I cried, bringing the marker to his face. It had almost made contact, and Zoro's eyes were bugging out beyond what was humanly possible, when I was plucked out of the air, and tucked under an arm. I looked up through my fringe, steadying my cap on my head. It was Luffy. My lower lip jutted out, and a made a noise like 'poo poo'. The markers vanished, and Zoro relaxed.

"Hey." Luffy said casually, holding up his hand as a 'hello'. He was still holding me under his arm. _How in blazes is he able to touch me?_ I thought curiously.

"You again." Zoro said. He sounded uninterested. "If this is about me joining your pirate crew, my answer is still _no_!"

"Call me Luffy!" Luffy replied. I assumed that he was ignoring everything that was just said to him. He shifted me into a piggyback, and I whooped in delight. I hadn't had a lot of piggyback rides after I died. "I'll untie you if you join my pirate crew, ok?"

"You don't listen, _boy_." Zoro spat at him. I slapped my hand on the top of Luffy's head repeatedly.

"Luffy isn't a boy!" I declared. "And Bearetta agrees with me." I poofed Bearetta out of the air, and made her nod. Zoro sweatdropped.

"Whatever. I've got my own mission…and it doesn't involve becoming a stinking pirate!" He glowered. I blew a raspberry at him. _Pppphhhhhthh_

"You're too good to be a pirate?" Luffy asked rhetorically. "You, a bounty hunter? Whom everyone thinks is some sort of demon?" I rested my chin on Luffy's shoulder, and opted to stay out of this conversation. It sounded serious. I started to swing my legs back and forth as I paid rapt attention to the conversation.

"I don't care what people think." Zoro said. The atmosphere suddenly became heavier. "I live by my own code…I've never done anything I regret, and I don't intend to in the future." Luffy said nothing. "Which is why I'll never be a pirate." There was a moment of silence as the atmosphere grew heavier and heavier until Luffy turned away. I giggled at the sudden movement. I was suddenly taken back to when my father would give me piggyback rides. I banished that thought.

"Sorry, but I've made up my mind." Luffy said huffily. "You're gonna join my pirate crew!" I laughed loudly as Zoro shouted at Luffy.

"I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU'VE DECIDED!"

"I've heard you can use a sword." Luffy said, abruptly changing the topic, and turning back to Zoro. I giggled and tried to stay upright as I swayed back and forth.

"Hmph." Zoro looked like he was pouting. "If I wasn't tied up, I'd show you…"

"So where are your swords now?" Luffy asked. I started to braid the hair on the back of his head.

"They took 'em from me. The captain's idiot son…those swords are my dearest treasures next to my life." I finished one braid, and moved onto the next section.

"Hmmm…_treasures_ huh…too bad they took 'em." I froze in my braiding at Luffy's tone of voice. _I hope he knows what he's getting into…_ I thought as I snuck a peek at Zoro. _Poor Zoro…_

"I know." Luffy let go of one of my legs to point at Zoro. I squawked and wrapped that leg around his torso so I wouldn't fall.

"I'll get your swords from the idiot son!"

"What?"

"Then if you want your swords back, you have to join my cre-"

"YOU LITTLE RAT!" Zoro shouted. _Ooooh, shark teeth._ Luffy grabbed y leg again, and laughed as we ran in the opposite direction of the fortress.

"See ya soon!" He called to Zoro. I whooped happily as he ran. He climbed the fence as I hung on like a koala, and screamed in delight as he jumped down. I was giddy with happiness, and was laughing madly as Luffy ran towards the fortress. He stopped, to my dismay, at the front of the fortress, and started to look around. I slapped the top of his head a few times, then sighed when he didn't start moving again, and propped my chin on his shoulder.

"That's funny…" Luffy remarked.

"What is?"

"There aren't any marines around.."

"Maybe they're in a meeting, plotting on how to foil pirates once and for all?"

"Maybe, but that means that no one is around to help us find Zoro's swords…" He hummed, thinking. I looked around, and it was true, there was no one in sight. Just then, the both of us heard a _klunk_ from the top of the building.

"Maybe they're up there, trying to make rainbow clouds that rain honey?" Luffy laughed at my suggestion, and then bent down, coiling to shoot his arms up. I let go, and floated a little before starting to fly up. I looked back down at him, and shot out of the way as one of his hands went rocketing by me, followed by the rest of him.

"Gomu gomu no…ROCKET!" I followed after him as fast as I could, pretending that I was an albatross. I reached the top as a giant statue came crashing down, cracking in half. I flew over to Luffy.

"This is your fault?" I asked, pointing at the broken in half statue. The man whom the statue was modeled after looked livid. Luffy sweatdropped, and held up a hand.

"Um…sorry…" he said lamely. I laughed, and rolled a few times in the air. Sorry didn't seem to cut it this time.

"SEIZE HIM! I'LL HAVE HIS HEART!" The man-whose-hand-was-an-ax shouted. My nose wrinkled.

"To eat? Eeeeewww." I stuck my tongue out in disgust. There came a familiar voice from the back of the marines who were running towards us with guns and/or swords.

"DADDY! THAT'S THE RUFFIAN WHO HIT ME! IF YOU HAD KILLED HIM, THIS NEVER WOULD HAVE-" We didn't find out what he was going to say next, because Luffy grabbed him and pulled him through a convenient door to the lower floors. I just floated through the roof into the hall below to catch up with Luffy.

"Where are Zoro's swords?" Luffy asked as we ran from marines. I flew beside him, this time imagining that it was a horde of man-eating savages who were after us, and we were the shipwrecked victims.

"I-I'LL TELL YOU!" Helme—Barf head relented. "JUST STOP DRAGGING ME!" Luffy came to a sudden halt, and I flew on a few feet before stopping and turning around.

"Ok, tell me." Luffy demanded.

"They're in my room!" Barf-head said, gasping and crying. "We passed it a while back."

"You should've told me!" Luffy exclaimed, punching Barf-head in the face. I cheered Luffy on. "You're wasting time!" There was some _klick_-ing of guns from behind us.

"DROP THE CAPTAINS' SON, OR WE SHOOT!" Luffy stared at them for a moment before replying.

"I don't want to." He said bluntly, and then held Barf-head up in front of him, and ran towards the marines with the guns.

"Ok, go ahead and shoot!" He said as he rocketed towards the now panicking marines.

"AAAAAAH! DON'T SHOOT! DON'T SHOOT!" I flew through the marines, causing them to drop to the ground, skin blue.

"That'll only stall them for a few minutes!" I called to Luffy.

"That's all that I'll need!" He called back. We stopped at a door that was covered in flowers. Both Luffy and I sweatdropped.

"He's more girly than I am…" I mumbled. I floated partway through the door, and saw three katana's leaning against the far wall by the window. I pulled out.

"There are swords in there." I reported, clicking my heels together. (Even though I didn't have any heels that went '_click_') Luffy nodded, and burst through the door, running over to the katana's immediately.

"But there are three swords?" Luffy said, pointing at them and looking at me in confusion. I shrugged, pulled Bearetta out of my hat, and straightened her dress.

"Which ones are Zoro's?" He asked Barf-head, before noticing that he was knocked out. I glanced out the window, and a thrill of fear went through me. Immediately, I flew with all of my speed through the window, ignoring Luffy calling after me, and rushed down to where Coby and Zoro were. That wouldn't have normally gotten me scared, but the amount of blood on the ground, and the red/black stain on Coby's shoulder made me more frightened than I had ever been in my life. There were two rows of marines facing my friend and new friend, holding guns, and pointing them at my friends. I flew through the row in the front, and felt a small triumph as they fell from the extreme cold, and made for the other row.

I was too late, however, and I cried out in anguish as the bullets flew towards Coby and Zoro. My fears were short lived, as Luffy dropped into the path of the bullets, and took them all for the two people behind him. At that moment, I never felt so helpless and relieved in all of my life and death years combined. Helpless, because I couldn't stop the marines from firing, relieved because my friends were safe. And hopefully bullets couldn't kill Luffy. I crossed my fingers, and toes, biting my bottom lip. I cheered as Luffy's skin stretched far back, but didn't break.

"BULLETS CAN'T HURT ME!" Luffy yelled as he bounced the bullets back to the marines. "HAHAHAHAHAHA!" I laughed with Luffy, and flew over to Coby, who had fainted. I placed a hand on his head, and watched the fight from the back.

"WHAT ARE YOU?!" Zoro shouted at him, looking astounded at what just occurred. Luffy turned back to face us. His face was determined and intense, and he grinned.

"I'm the man who's going to become the Pirate King!" In that moment, I believed him, and I knew that Zoro believed him too. Luffy walked over to Zoro, and continued talking in a more normal voice, though it was thick with excitement at the prospect of a fight. I felt Coby begin to stir under my palm, so I unpopped my hand, and took it away from his forehead.

"So, which swords are yours?" Luffy asked, holding the swords out for Zoro to inspect. "I didn't know, so I brought all three…" I floated over, and inspected the ropes that bound Zoro to the cross.

"They're all mine." Zoro said, tracking where I was with his eyes. "I practice Santoryuu, three swords style." I took a second to ponder that. Where would he hold the third sword? _Maybe he has a third arm…_ I imagined Zoro with another arm protruding from his chest, and giggled.

"Ne, ne, Zoro?" I tapped his head to get his attention.

"What, kid?"

"Do you have three arms?"

"NO!"

"Aaaawwww…" I pouted, returning back to the ropes at hand.

"If you fight the Marines with me here and now, in the eyes of the Government, you'll be one of the bad guys!" Luffy grinned, still holding onto Zoro's swords. "Of course, you could obey the law, and let the Marine's kill you!" I laughed as I examined the knots. Luffy really wasn't letting Zoro go!

"You must be demon spawn!" Zoro growled with a grin. "But I'm not ready to die without a fight! All right, Damnit! You've got yourself a pirate!" I whooped, and threw imaginary confetti in the air as Luffy danced around.

**Aaand this is where I end it for now! XD again, thank you, Neo Gray-sama, for that awesome cover photo! **

**Later lovies! Ciao for now!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Ureshiitamago: Heeey guys! So, as some of you know (maybe), I was sick last weekend. I had wanted to update this one, as well as Spirit Contract, twice, but it was a no go, and my mum took my computer from me. :(**

**Aave: But it's all good now, right? *hides behind Luffy* you're not going to get me sick by being near me, right?**

**Ureshiitamago: I'm over it now. And no, because you're already dead. **

**Aave: Oh, phew! *wipes brow* we would like to thank**

**8-bit pirate, InnerFan, loveredhairedshanks, Alynn-Aorels, bored kid 48, pinkus-pyon, Mylittlepirateking, Maistyria, jackn37, and XxHeartMenderxX for favoriting/following.**

**Also, I would like to thank The Utterly Fabulous Z and pinkus-pyon for their reviews, and Neo Gray-sama for constantly reviewing! ^w^ **

**Ureshiitamago: There ya go! Before I forget, Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece!**

**Aave: Onwards!**

_"__You must be demon spawn!" Zoro growled with a grin. "But I'm not ready to die without a fight! All right, Damnit! You've got yourself a pirate!" I whooped, and threw imaginary confetti in the air as Luffy danced around._

**Chapter 4: A Ghostly First Mate**

"Really?! You'll join my pirate crew?!" Luffy shouted in excitement as he thrust his fists into the air. I threw more confetti into the air, and imagined that they were fireworks.

"Wow! So pretty!" I exclaimed. The Marines sweatdropped as they watched.

"Is she for real?" One of them asked.

"YES!" I shouted, hitting my hand to my chest. I then pointed to them. "I am as real as you are!"

"I don't have much of a choice, now untie me." Zoro said, sounding irritated. I made a face at the Marines, and then floated back to where I had been inspecting one of the knots tying Zoro's left arm to the cross.

"What _is_ he?" One of the Marines stuttered.

"Bullets bounce right off him! And the girl, she floats!" Another said.

"They are no ordinary humans!" Exclaimed Ax-hand man. "They must have eaten Devil's fruits!" I gave him thumbs down, and stuck my tongue out at him.

"_I'm_ a ghost!" I said. "I didn't eat a devil's fruit!" There were some unsettled murmurs among the Marines.

"C-CAPTAIN! THEY'RE UNTYING ZORO!" One of the marines shouted. I pulled at the knot I had chosen half-heartedly, and then imagined a small pen knife. "Poof." "Pop." The knife became real, and I started to saw my way through the knot. My tongue protruded as I concentrated, and my eyes narrowed as the knot started to come undone.

"**IF BULLETS CAN'T HURT HIM, THEN USE YOUR SWORDS!**" shouted Ax-hand man. The remaining Marines that were left after I 'froze' the others drew their swords and ran at us with a '_HYAAAAAAAAAH!' _I screeched in Zoro's ear, and started to saw at the knot faster. Sure, I was already dead and couldn't die again, but people running at you with the intent to kill is always scary! Like this scary; O_O !~ Meanwhile, while I was freaking out and the Fairy Queen popped into existence to help;

"Ugh, these knots are too tight!" Luffy said, frowning and sticking out his bottom lip in a pout.

"C'mon! The ghost girl is faster than you!" Zoro shouted.

"NO, FAIRY QUEEN! THE KNOT DOESN'T UNTANGLE THAT WAY!" I yelled. Zoro sweatdropped.

"JUST HURRY UP!" He shouted to Luffy. I noticed Coby sit up, and then notice the Marines charging at us.

"WHAT?" He shouted. "LUFFY! ZORO! AAVE! LOOK OUT!"

"THE ARM IS FREE!" I shouted, holding up the rope that I had cut with the Fairy Queen in triumph. The Fairy Queen kissed me on the cheek, and then popped out of existence.

"I got the other one free!" Luffy said.

"JUST GIVE ME MY SWORDS!" Zoro said, I could tell that he was slightly panicking now from his glances towards the marines.

"**THOSE WHO DEFY ME MUST DIE!**" Ax-hand man shouted.

"ALREADY DEAD!" I shouted back. I didn't know if he heard me. There was a _KLANG!_ And the descending swords of the marines were stopped by Zoro and his three swords. I noticed with some disappointment that Zoro held the third sword in his mouth.

"Aaaw, no third arm." I complained.

"SHUT UP!" Zoro yelled over his sword. _I wonder how he talks…_I wondered.

"Wow. HE'S COOL!" Luffy shouted. I imagined stars in Luffy's eyes.

"The first one who moves…" Zoro warned the marines, glaring at the, "_dies!_" Said Marines started to cry. '_Eeek!'_

"Speech! Speech!" I cried, punching the air and flying around him and the Marines.

"SHUT UP!" He growled around the sword in his mouth. His eyes flicked back to Luffy. "All right, so I'm a pirate. I gave you my word. I've fought the Navy; therefore I'm officially an outlaw." He said. "But hear this; I have a mission to fulfill!" Luffy instantly started to look serious.

"I'm going to be the world's greatest swordsman! All I have left is my dream!" The atmosphere grew heavier, and no one talked or moved. All we could hear was Zoro's voice.

"My name may be infamous…but it's going to shake the world!" Luffy patiently waited for him to finish as I floated above him, listening to this declaration that I thought I had heard somewhere before. Not the same speech, but a similar one.

"BUT YOU ARE MAKING ME BECOME A PIRATE! IF I HAVE TO ABANDON MY DREAM FOR ANY REASON…THEN I'M GOING TO MAKE YOU COMMIT HARAKIRI!" I could feel the weight those words held, and for a minute, couldn't find the breath to talk.

"The world's greatest swordsman? That's great!" Luffy exclaimed with a smile. "And it's fitting since your new boss is going to be the King of the Pirates! Anything else would make me look bad!" I smiled at Luffy's declaration.

"Hmph. You talk big." Zoro muttered. I giggled, and flew through some of the marines to relieve a bit of the weight on his swords.

"WHY DO YOU HESITATE?!" Yelled Ax-hand man. "HACK THOSE BRIGANDS INTO MINCEMEAT! NOW!"

"Zoro, duck!" Luffy shouted, winding up to kick.

"Gomu gomu no…" His leg extended and he slammed it into the marines as Zoro ducked. '_WHACK!'_ "**WHIP!**" The marines were tossed back to where Ax-hand man was standing.

"Wow!" Coby exclaimed, shaking his fists like I do when I find candy. "He's incredible!" I nodded in agreement, slight jealousy working its way through me. I could only make people feel cold, and that didn't last very long either. Luffy was the only person I knew who could grab me at will. I frowned. _I need to become stronger…_

"What the devil _are_ you?" Zoro asked, glancing behind him at the marines, expecting them to attack again.

"He's a rubberman." I answered for Luffy absently.

"A RUBBERMAN!?" One of the downed marines gasped.

"CAPTAIN, THEY'RE TOO MUCH FOR US!"

"IT'S _HOPELESS_! WE CAN'T FIGHT A RUBBERMAN…"

"…AND THAT DEMON RORONOA ZORO AT THE SAME TIME!" Luffy and Zoro stood where they were, looking epic to the point where stars started to emerge from my eyes. I slapped my cheeks, and shook my head to snap out of it. When I did, I heard Ax-hand man say something that made my blood run cold. (Well, figuratively anyway, seeing as I was already dead.)

"Hear me!" He growled, turning his back on his men and us. "All you cowards who were whining just now…will shoot yourselves in the head." My mind flashed back to the first scary ghost I had ever met.

_Flashback!_

_The village was slowly dwindling down to only a few people, everyone wanting to leave the island because of me, the residential haunt. It wasn't that I was scary; it wasn't that I did bad things; it was that I was still there, even after I had died from that illness. I understood why the people (especially my family) were creeped out, more than I would have if I were still living. Being a ghost really put ones views into perspective._

_The few people who remained in the village were the old folk, who didn't mind having me around, because I provided a kind of constant entertainment for them in their old age, what with me playing with imaginary friends, and 'poof'-ing things into ghostly existence to play with. _

_It was sunny out, and I was flying through what had been the trade center, accompanied by the Fairy Princess (later the Fairy Queen as a result of rebellion). I was doing aerial spins and flips, having the time of my life, and making the old folk who still set up their stalls there laugh. I had just finished a triple back-spin, and won the contest, when the sky turned dark, and I felt like I was frozen, unable to move. The Fairy Princess had disappeared, and the old folk had collapsed onto their stall tables, either unconscious or dead. _

_ "__Wh-who's there?" I called out, trying to stop my shudders and shakes. I had never felt so scared since my friend Massie told me a ghost story by candlelight. _

_ "__Da…dam…damn them!" It was a gravely and somewhat strained voice that rose from a whisper to a shout. If there was ever a time that I wanted my mommy to pick me up and wrap me safe in a hug, it was now. _

_ "__Mommy." I called out weakly, even though I knew she wouldn't come. It was a reflex action, calling for my mother when something was scary. But somehow, knowing that she wasn't there for me and that she wasn't coming, made me grow a weak backbone. _

_ "__Who are you?" I called out in a stronger voice, inwardly trying to find the light that the Fairy Princess had said to find if there was any problem. It was like groping for a match in a messy room in the dark. "Why did you make the old people fall asleep?" _

_ "__DAMN THEM!" I whimpered as the voice grew louder. "DAMN THEM! DAMN THEM!"_

_ "__Why?" I surprised myself by asking. Finally finding some movement, I clapped my hands over my mouth, and my eyes went wide. There was a moment of silence from the _thing_ that was near._

_ "__Why?" It repeated. "WHY?" I couldn't stop a whimper, and I shrank further to the ground, thinking that if I had to, I would just go through the earth. _

_ "__I'LL TELL YOU __**WHY**__!" its voice was thundering now. "__**THEY KILLED ME, THAT'S WHY!**__" I gulped, trying to muster up the courage to ask why again._

_ "…__why?" I whimpered, washed out blue eyes wide and staring at the center of the blackness. There was some more silence, and then the darkness was surrounding me, and I panicked. My screams echoed around me, and filled the darkness to the point where I didn't know where my screams ended and the echo began. _

_There was a soft touch on my shoulder, and immediately, I stopped screaming, and started crying silently. I had died already, and knew that I couldn't die a second time in my time as a ghost. But I also knew that by absorbing something called 'spiritual residue', _my_ spiritual residue, 'bad' spirits could absorb me. This was a form of death that no ghost wanted to ever encounter. _

_ "__They killed me because I existed, young one." This voice was much gentler, and somehow sadder than the other one that was shouting and screaming. I lifted my head, and looked behind me. It was a man, with wisps of darkness coiling around him, shifting and changing shape like liquid. He wore a suit, much like the one I saw my daddy in on the picture of him and mommy's wedding day. His hair was pitch black, and coiled down to his elbows in waves, and it moved and changed shape, much like the darkness did. What caught me were his eyes. They were gentle eyes, but also sad eyes. _

_ "…__why?" A small smile played around him mouth, and he squatted down so he was at my height while I was floating an inch above the ground. _

_ "__So inquisitive." He said with a laugh. "I forgot what it was like to hear the questions of a child. They killed me because I ran from a life or death situation."_

_ "…__why?"_

_ "__I was scared."_

_ "__Why?"_

_ "__It was a battle."_

_ "__Why?"_

_ "__Because adults do things like that."_

_ "__Why?" _

_ "__Because we aren't as innocent as children." I nodded finally, understanding. _

_ "__So they killed you because you wanted to live." I summarized. He shrugged. _

_ "__In a nutshell, yes." He caught my small glances to the darkness that surrounded him, and he sighed._

_ "__Don't let this happen to you." He gestured to the coils of darkness, and then slipped a lock of hair behind his ear when it fell into his face. "This is my hatred, fear, and resent. This is what happens when you die against your will." My eyes widened, and he nodded._

_ "__Exactly, fear this. This is what happens when you lose your sense of self." A wave of pain washed over his face. "I will leave now before I destroy this island. Rest assured, your old folk aren't dead." I nodded, somewhat relieved. _

_ "__I'm Aave. What's your name?" He blinked, and looked down at me, shock evident on his face. _

_ "__What?"_

_ "__I said; I'm Aave, what's your name?"_

_ "__I know, but why?"_

_ "__Because we're friends." He sweatdropped._

_ "__I just scared you, and showed you fear. Why do you want to be friends?"_

_ "__You seem like you want friends." He laughed at my answer, and I crossed my arms, annoyed that he wasn't taking me seriously. _

_ "__My name is Jomei." He smirked, but without mirth. "It's rather ironic…"*_

_ "__I think it's beautiful." I said seriously. He regarded me curiously again, and then shook his head, and vanished. I blinked, eyes watering (though they didn't because I was a ghost) as the light came back again. I could hear the rustlings of the old folk as they sat up and started exclaiming about the fact that they all took a nap at the same time. The Fairy Princess returned, and fretted about having to leave so quickly, but I forgave her. It wasn't her fault, after all. _

_End Flashback!_

Never would I abide by someone being made to become a resentful spirit like Jomei.

"I won't tolerate defeatists in my outfit!" I was still rooted to the spot from my memory, and could only watch in escalating terror as the three marines reluctantly held their guns to their temples. "ON MY ORDER, FIRE!"

"Something's wrong with these marines!" Shouted Zoro.

"**STOP THEM, LUFFY!**" I screamed, watching in horror as their fingers moved closer to the triggers. Luffy seemed to be in front of me one second, and then in front of Ax-hand man the next.

"Hey, _I'm_ your enemy!" Luffy shouted as he rushed over. "Try putting **_me_** to death!" His fist _Klang_-ed against Ax-hand's ax hand. There were exclamations of shock throughout the marine ranks, while on our side;

"LUFFY! DESTROY THIS LOUSY NAVY!" Coby shouted. Thus started the pointless introductions of the two fighters.

"Hmph." Ax-hand man scoffed. "You have neither rank nor status. I'll teach you to defy your betters. I'M CAPTAIN AX-HAND MORGAN!" He shouted, already swinging his ax-hand at Luffy.

"Nice to meet you." Luffy replied formally. "I'm Monkey D. Luffy." And he jumped upwards to avoid the ax.

"So that was his name…" I said thoughtfully. Coby took that the wrong way.

"You didn't know Luffy's full name?" He asked incredulously. I sweatdropped, and watched as Luffy kicked Morgan in the face. _THWAK!_

"No, I know Luffy's name. It was Ax-hand man's." It was Coby's turn to sweatdrop.

"GO LUFFY!" I cheered as Morgan fell to the ground with a thump. I thrust my fists in the air, and sang a silly song.

"_Supply! Demand! Equilibrium! Pro-du-ction poss-i-bil-i-ties! Elastic! Inelastic! Compliments! Substitutes! The floor's up high, the ceiling's down low, and that's how the Econ cheer goes!"*_ Several of the marines sweatdropped, as did Zoro.

"What was that?" he asked.

"It was a cheer!" I shouted, pumping my fist in the air with glee as Luffy escaped the ax once again and spun around to kick Morgan in the head…again. _SMASH!_

"KRAKOW KRAKOW! TWO DIRECT HITS!" I shouted happily, doing a little jig in mid-air.

"You are a strange brat." Zoro remarked, eyes glued to Luffy's fight. I stuck my tongue out at him, and made Bearetta hit him on the head. I giggled as he glared at me.

"He-he's so strong!" Coby said in awe. I was grinning like a feral wildcat when Luffy raised his fist to punch Morgan on the face.

"You and your Navy…" he said, grabbing onto Morgan's shirt to hold him still, "…are ruining Coby's dream!"

"STOP!" Shouted a voice. Luffy hit Morgan anyway. _Thwak!_

"I SAID **STOP,** YOU _IDIOT_!" I turned around to see Coby being held at gunpoint by an extremely shaky Barf-head. I glanced at the gun in Barf-head's hand. It was so shaky it looked like I could snatch it out of his grasp.

"ONE WRONG MOVE AND FOUR-EYES GETS IT!" He cried out. "IF YOU EVEN BLINK, I'LL SHOOT!" I tsked, because I was in full view of Barf-head, and if I suddenly turned invisible, Coby would get lead through his head. _Hey, that rhymed…No, no. Stop that._ I shook my head to clear it of any random thoughts.

"HEY, LUFFY, AAVE!" I looked up from my head shaking. "DON'T LET THEM WIN BECAUSE OF ME!" I tilted my head to the side in slight confusion. "LET HIM KILL ME!" I blinked in surprise, and looked to Luffy.

"Shishishi, you're a good guy, Coby." I linked my hands behind my back, sensing a plan. Slowly, I began to turn invisible. "Hey, Idiot-son-of-the-Captain. Coby means it!" I grinned like the 'cheshire cat' I had been told a story about, and I disappeared from sight as Barf-heads attention was fixed on Luffy. I ghosted (XD) over to them, and poised my hand over the gun, ready to take it whenever Luffy gave the sign.

"Hey, I told you not to move, or I'll shoot!" Barf-head was shaking much worse now, and I wondered if he was going to pull the trigger on accident. This thought made me nervous, and I watched intently. "FINE! I'LL JUST SHOOT HIM THEN!" I gasped quietly as a shadow rose up behind Luffy. It was Morgan!

"LUFFY!" Coby shouted in a panic, "BEHIND YOU!"

"Aave." I heard the quiet command from Luffy as he punched forward. I grabbed the gun safely out of Barf-head's hand just as Luffy's fist connected with his face.

"Gomu gomu no…PISTOL!" _POW!_

"Nice…" I watched in awe as Morgan fell backwards, blood spurting out of his back. "…Zoro."

"No sweat…Captain." Zoro smirked around his sword. I dropped the gun and flew over to Luffy.

"Did I do good too? Huh? Huh?" I circled around him like an eager puppy. Before he could respond, I was circling around Zoro.

"Wow! THAT WAS AWESOME!" I shouted in his ear. He flinched as he sheathed his swords. "YOU WERE LIKE _FWOOOSH, _AND LUFFY WAS LIKE _POW_, AND THEY WERE LIKE *FALL*!" I imitated the _fwooosh_, the _pow_, and the *fall* until Luffy calmed me down by placing a hand on my shoulder. He silently pointed at the Marines, who were staring at Morgan and Barf-head with disbelief in their eyes. "Oh." I said sheepishly, ducking my head.

"The Captain lost!" One of them exclaimed in disbelief.

"Captain Morgan's been defeated!" Another shouted. Coby was sitting where he had fallen, staring at the Marines edgily.

"Any of you still want to capture us?" Zoro asked them in a tone laced with promises of hacked off limbs and death if they attempted it. The marines all looked at each other for a moment before taking their hats off and throwing them into the air.

"HOORAY!"

"WE'RE FREE!"

"MORGAN'S REIGN OF TERROR IS OVER!"

"BONZAI FOR THE NAVY!"

"Hmm. They're happy that we defeated their Captain." Luffy observed.

That means…" Coby clenched his fist, and I noticed an unrivaled happy face sneak up. "…Captain Morgan was ruling by fear!" I clapped a hand on Zoro's shoulder after saying "Pop."

"AAAAAAH! I KILLED ZORO!" I screamed as Zoro fell to the ground.

"AH! AAVE, HOW COULD YOU?!" Luffy shouted, tears streaming down his face. I flew around in a panic, trying to find out if he was really dead without my having to touch him.

'_Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr'_ …a sound came from his stomach… "Ah." I thumped my fist onto my hand. "He's hungry." Luffy started to laugh, and he hoisted Zoro over his shoulder, and started walking to the restaurant where we had eaten last time. A few minutes later, Zoro was smiling, and patting his stomach happily.

"Umph! I'm stuffed!" He said with a laugh. I was floating behind him and staring at his hair. It was green. Green. GREEN!

"Green…" I muttered.

"Not eating for nine days was worse than I thought!"

"Green…"

"See? You'd never have survived the whole month!" Luffy said around a mouthful of food.

"Green…"

"Funny, you seem hungrier than me…" Zoro observed, leaning forward and raising an eyebrow at Luffy's packed plate.

"It tastes good. Right, Coby? Aave?" I smiled and smelled the food.

"Smells great!" I said before entrancing myself in Zoro's hair again. "Green…"

"Ah, sorry for having you feed me too…" Coby told the little girls' mom sheepishly. I had learned that her name was Rika from Luffy.

"It's no problem!" Rika's mom said happily. "The town _has_ been saved after all!"

"Green…"

"You really _are_ amazing!" Rika said to Luffy, looking at him in awe.

"_How_ is it green?"

"Yup! I am!" Luffy said, banging his fork on the table. "And I'm going to be even _more_ amazing! 'Cause I'm going to be the king of the pirates!" He looked over at Zoro and I.

"I've even got a crew."

"Maybe it's died…"

"It isn't died." I frowned at Zoro's remark.

"Then why is it green?" Zoro dodged the question.

"So, how many others have you gathered besides me?" He asked Luffy quickly.

"UNFAIR!" I shouted, hitting him on the head with Bearetta.

"You said that you were in the middle of finding a crew, right?" I gave up on his hair, and floated over to try and steal Luffy's hat, playing pretend evil villains with Bearetta again.

"To be the pirate king," Zoro continued, watching me curiously as I lunged for Luffy's hat, "you must have a good number gathered." Luffy dodged, and I flew around the table for another go.

"Just you and Aave." He said. I halted in my tries, and planted my hands on my hips.

"I'm haunting your boat. There is a difference between that and being on your crew!" I said snootily. Zoro looked shell-shocked at what Luffy and I had said.

"HUH? Then…" he pointed at Luffy first, and then me, and then him as a question.

"Yup, just us three!" Luffy said, dodging a smack upside the head.

"I'M HAUNTING THE BOAT! DON'T COUNT ME!"

"We're gonna call just us two and a kid ghost a pirate crew?!" exclaimed Zoro in amazement.

"Ok, don't listen to me…I get the idea…no one listens to me…" a dark aura surrounded me as I huddled in a corner, and drew designs on the floor.

"What's wrong with that?" Luffy said in answer to Zoro's question. Rika patted the air over my shoulder. "We _are_ strong."

"What about a ship?" Zoro asked, getting to a point in the conversation that really mattered to a pirate. (Well, anyone sailing the seas, really.) "Where's your pirate ship?"

"Getting peed on by a dog." I said in a depressed tone, hovering by the window now with a dark aura surrounding me. I sighed heavily. The boat was tiny compared to the docks. Zoro leaned against the opposite side of the window from where I was, and looked at it unenthusiastically.

"That?"

"Yup." I said. "Green…" I muttered under my breath. "Why green?"

"We'll have a ship _thiiiiiis_ big before long!" Luffy said, stretching his arms into the air to illustrate how big he wanted it. Zoro laughed at that and turned away from the window.

"How?"

"It'll happen." I said, flapping my hand at him. My bad mood was gone, so I sneaked around Luffy to try and take his hat again, ignoring Zoro's slack jaw.

"And I'd like a pirate flag too!" Luffy said dreamily, probably imagining the ship in his head. He took another mouthful of fish, and dodged my attempts again. "Hmmm. So cool!" He said with a laugh.

"I think Luffy was born without any sense of planning." Coby explained to Zoro, who was pinching the bridge of his nose in exasperation.

"Did I really just make this man my Captain?" Zoro questioned.

"YES!" I shouted, raising my hand. "AND I HAUNTED HIS SHIP!"

"Do you have to shout?"

"YES!"

"Well, we'll get more crewmembers before long." Luffy said, shoving another piece of fish into his mouth.

"Ne, ne." Rika tugged on his shirt. When she successfully got Luffy's attention, she continued. "Where are you guys going to go now?" She asked innocently.

"Isn't it obvious?" Luffy said excitedly, "the Grand Line!" I laughed, and turned backwards somersaults in the air as I watched Coby do a spit take.

"You still only have three members!" Coby shouted in a panic. I frowned, but didn't correct him, because I thought about how silly he looked doing a spit take, and started to laugh again. "And stop laughing!"

"There's no way you can go there!" Coby turned back to Luffy to plead with him not to go. "Impossible! Impossible! Impossible!"

"Is the Grand Line that terrible of a place?" Rika asked, playing rock paper scissors with me. She kept on winning.

"Naturally!" Coby said in an intense voice. Rika and I graduated from rock paper scissors and had moved on to Chopsticks.

"You know this world has two oceans, right?" Coby started his explanation as to why Grand Line was too dangerous.

"And the giant mountain that cuts them right in two is the Red Line. Supposedly, there's a town right in the middle of the Red Line, and the Grand Line goes through it at a right angle, and stretches around the world. It was said that Gold Roger, King of the Pirates, once obtained everything this world has to offer, and before he died, he said he left the great One Piece treasure there, so pirates everywhere have set sail for the Grand Line! It's now an intense battlefield, and even called 'The Pirate's Graveyard'!" Coby was shivering and staring into his cup. '_Gold Roger? That doesn't sound right for some reason…hmmm…oh well!'_ I gave up on thinking for the time being.

"I've heard from patrons before…" Rika's mother said quietly, "that whomever enters the Grand Line doesn't come out alive."

"But the One Piece is somewhere in there…" Luffy said unhurriedly, "so we're going there!"

"Sounds like fun!" I said happily, doing a loop-de-loop in mid-air.

"Guess it can't be helped!" Zoro said with a grin, sitting back in the chair he had previously evacuated.

"NOT YOU TWO TOO!" Coby yelled. He pointed at me. "ESPECIALLY YOU!" I stuck my tongue out at him, and turned away with a _harrumph__. _

"What's it matter?" Zoro asked. "You're not going, are you?" Valid question. _Leprechauns…definitely a son of a leprechaun._ I nodded, happy with my decision about Zoro's hair.

"He wants to be a _marine_." I said sourly. I still resented that.

"Well yes, but I'm also worried about you!"Coby said anxiously. He adjusted Bearnaby in his belt, and I stopped being sour at him. "Is that so wrong?" I smiled, and flew over, and hugged him.

"Nope." I squeezed him tightly for a moment, and then flew over to Luffy.

"I'm going to get the boat ready to go." I said, not wanting to say goodbye. Luffy nodded, understanding in his eyes. As I flew out the window, I could hear Coby shouting about friends behind me.

I flew onto the boat, and pulled out Bearetta. My throat constricted as I remembered.

_ "__AAAAH!" shouted a youngish voice. _

_ "__AAAAH!" I shouted back, grabbing my hat off of the ground and pulling it back onto my head. _

_ "__A GHOST!" it was pink-hair. I decided to play dumb._

_ "__WHERE?!" I looked around in fake panic, trying not to giggle. _

_ "__YOU ARE!" he was pointing at me. I couldn't take it any longer, and giggled._

_ "__Well of course I am, dummy!" I said brightly. "I'm not translucent because of a Devils Fruit!" I smiled at him, and floated above the ground, my gloved hands resting behind my head. He gaped at me._

_ "__Hi there, pinky! My name is Aave! You?" he appeared flustered for a few moments before responding rather politely. _

_ "__My name is Coby." He said, holding out his hand. "Nice to meet you Aave."_

I cleared my throat, and smacked my cheeks a few times to stop myself from shedding tears. I drew a fake sword.

"Avast ye, landlubbers!" I cried, pretending to be Captain Hook. "Time to walk th' plank!" I let out an almighty '_Aaaarrrr!'_ and lunged forward, pushing the imaginary people into the sea. I let out a "Ha haa!", and turned to Bearetta.

"How 'bout that, Smee?" I called to her. "And there was no _Peter Pan_ to deal with this time, either!" I swung my sword and let out an extremely evil laugh, and stopped as I noticed Luffy and Zoro staring at me mutely. There was a moment of silence as I stood poised, ready to take off an imaginary enemies head, and they stood on the dock.

"Aaarrrr ye ready to board?" I asked as polite as my 'pirate' persona could accomplish. Luffy grinned.

"Let's go!" Zoro laughed a little as I made a grab for Luffy's hat as he boarded, only to have my hand grabbed. I pouted.

"SON OF A LEPRECHAUN!" I shouted at him. He stopped laughing, and looked at me bemusedly.

"What?"

"Because your hair is green, you are the son of a leprechaun." I said haughtily. "Where is your gold and rainbow?" He just shook his head and untied the boat from the dock.

"LUFFY! AAVE!" I blinked in shock at Coby's sudden appearance. He saluted us.

"THANK YOU! I'LL NEVER FORGET ALL YOU'VE DONE FOR ME!" He shouted.

"This is a new one." Zoro said in amusement. "A pirate being saluted by the Navy." Luffy laughed at that.

"Not that new…" I said idly, smiling and waving at Coby.

"WE'LL MEET AGAIN, COBY!" shouted Luffy as we cast off.

"TEN'SHUN!" Suddenly, the dock was filled with marines saluting us. There was cheering from the dock as we left. I engrossed myself with staring at Zoro's earrings, wondering if they were his leprechaun gold.

"WE'RE ON OUR WAY TO THE GRAND LINE!" shouted Luffy, finally sitting down when the island was out of sight.

***Jomei means 'spreads light'**

***Copyright; my Econ teacher. :) hello there! **

**Aaaand that's the end of the Shell Town arc! Next up is the Buggy arc. I wanted to finish this arc in one go, so this chapter is kinda long. XD**

**I wonder if you can find the Calvin and Hobbes reference!**

**So, I just finished reading this book, and the last paragraph stuck out at me,**

** "****There are two truths, intimately known to him and reaching beyond all boundaries.**

**The first of these is that joy does not come from outside, for whatever happens to us it is within. The second truth is that light does not come to us from without. Light is in us, even if we have no eyes." **

**~Jacques Lusseyran, ****_And There Was Light_**

**I really suggest reading it, it moved e so much, and made me see the world differently. (This might sound cliché, but it did.)**


	5. Chapter 5

**Ureshiitamago: Heeey! Wow, I got a lot of homework! (my grammar good, yes?) Good thing for Martin Luther King Jr. Day! Speaking of which, **

**I would like to give an early shout out to the people who participated in the Civil Rights movement. **

**Aave: *throws hands into air* Thank you so much for your hard work!**

**Ureshiitamago: Ok Aave, the list?**

**Aave: *ahem***

**Taichi14, rockobrocko, kitsune164, -music-box, Domea, Angelvt, BlushLover930, ChrisZilla18, Hawthorn96, and allychix11 for favoriting/following.**

**Special thanks to;**

**scarlet rose white and loveredhairedshanks for reviewing! :) **

**Ureshiitamago: Thanks, Aave! And thank you, those who favorite/followed/reviewed! Here's the disclaimer; no matter how much I would like to, I only own my OCs. **

**Aave: That's what she ****_thinks_**** anyway…**

**Ureshiitamago: HEY! Ah, and I don't own any of the songs. The Papa Beaver one is from Papa Beaver's Story Time. **

_ "__WE'LL MEET AGAIN, COBY!" shouted Luffy as we cast off. _

_ "__TEN'SHUN!" Suddenly, the dock was filled with marines saluting us. There was cheering from the dock as we left. I engrossed myself with staring at Zoro's earrings, wondering if they were his leprechaun gold. _

_ "__WE'RE ON OUR WAY TO THE GRAND LINE!" shouted Luffy, finally sitting down when the island was out of sight. _

**Chapter 5: A Ghostly Wait**

I reached out to touch the earrings adorning Zoro's ears, but he (tried) to slap my hand away. Immediately, his face went blue, and he started to shiver. I sweatdropped.

"Do you seriously not remember how I took out the first row of marines?" I asked him seriously, setting Bearetta in his lap to warm him up. His teeth clattered when he answered me.

"I th-thought it was j-just a thing y-you turned on and o-off." I shook my head. "Luffy can grab you." He pointed out, skin beginning to return to its normal color. I glanced over at Luffy, who was sitting against the mast, and humming contentedly.

"True…" I said lazily. I blinked; it was time to comb Queen Margareta of Ifnargal's hair. "Poof." An ornate comb appeared in my hand, and I began the gentle downwards motions of combing hair. I successfully ignored Zoro's staring, and began a conversation with Margareta.

"So, how is King Popinjay?" I questioned. She replied that he was fine, and that I needed to work on my snooty maid-servant voice. I agreed.

"I _do_ hope that Sir Catchabolt didn't spill tea on your table _again_." I sniffed, "Last time, it took _days_ to clean up." Margareta laughed, and replied that no, he didn't, and yes, it did.

"Who are you talking to?" Luffy asked, interrupting me as I began to ask Margareta how her friendship with the Fairy Queen was. I looked up from my combing, a little annoyed.

"Queen Margareta of Ifnargal!" I announced pompously. Luffy made and 'Ooooh.' Sound, and watched as I continued to comb Margareta's hair.

"Oh, I _know_ darling…oh _yes_, I think that will do quite splendidly!...She _didn't_! Oh, the scamp!" I continued gossiping with Margareta until I finished combing her hair. I sighed contentedly when I was done, and 'poofed' the comb away. I turned to Luffy.

"Cat's cradle?" I asked. He nodded eagerly. "Poof." "Pop" Zoro started to snore as we played.

**Day 2**

"_But as we were going she said unto me, to me, weigh, hey, blow the man down. There's a spanking full-rigger just ready for sea, give me some time to blow the man down."_ I sang from the tip-top of the mast, balancing on one foot and then the other for as long as I could.

"_That spanking full-rigger to New York was bound; to me, weigh, hey, blow the man down. She was very well mannered and very well found, give me some time to blow the man down."_ I hummed a little bit, and then continued, seeing an irk mark on the top of Zoro's head out of the corner of my eye, and I grinned.

"_And as soon as that packet was out on the sea, to me, weigh, hey, blow the man down. 'Twas devilish hard treatment of every degree, give me some time to blow the man down."_ I stopped as Zoro slammed his fist against the mast, causing me to fly upwards a little to avoid going through the mast. I pouted at him as I floated to the boat.

"That was mean." I pouted, crossing my arms and glaring at him. He grinned devilishly.

"That is an annoying song." He answered. It was my turn to grin.

"It's meant to be." I said happily. "Mission Irk-Zoro, accomplished!" I laughed and flew out of reach as he made a grab for me, and floated to the other side of the boat, where Luffy was stretched out on his back, with his hat covering his face.

"Are you sleeping?" I asked, poking him. There was no response except for a snore. I pouted, wanting a playmate. Suddenly, an incredibly _evil_ thought snuck into my head, and I giggled into my palm to muffle the sound. I drew a deep breath, and started to sing a new song while prancing around his body.

"_Are you sleeping, are you sleeping, Papa Beaver? Papa Beaver? Morning bells are ringing, morning birds are singing, tweet, tweet, tweet~! Tweet, tweet, tweet~!" _When that didn't work, I decided to draw on his arms. There were fairies, and trees, and unicorns on Luffy's arms when I was done, and I was surprised that he hadn't woken up yet. Even more surprising was that Zoro hadn't stopped me. I flew over to him to investigate, and saw that he was sleeping too…without face protection no less…silly wabbit! I chuckled, and my eyes glittered as I drew on his face with the pink marker.

'_Oh my, Mr. Swordsman! Pink is sooo your color! Oh, you want lipstick? Very well then!_' I giggled as I finished my masterpiece, and floated backwards a little to appreciate my work. Zoro had perfectly large pink lips, over exaggerated blue eyeshadow, and a _lot_ of blush. A _lot_. Muahahaha. (XD) I banished my colors, and turned invisible, floating back up to my favorite spot to wait for them to wake up.

" *$%#&$# YOU $&%#* !" I was surprised, and a little impressed at Zoro's vocabulary. Luffy, was of course, Luffy, and laughed it off like he found it amusing. (Which he probably did. There was a reason that I preferred him as a playmate over Zoro. Zoro was fun to tease and prank though.) I giggled silently at the sight of an enraged Zoro-lady, and imagined fireworks shooting from his head.

"Yeees?" I asked in a ghostly tone.

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME?" He screamed, pointing at the water. Ooh, this was too good to pass up.

"Do you think you're in the water or somethin'? Because I know nothing about you losing your mind." Luffy guffawed, and Zoro changed a nice shade of red that complemented his make-up.

"Is. This." He pointed to his face. "Washable?" I turned visible, and pretended to think for a moment.

"I should hope so; otherwise you would get stinky after a while." I could hear his teeth grinding, and I could barely manage keeping a straight face. Luffy was rolling on the bottom of the boat, holding onto his hat, and laughing so hard tears were streaming down his face.

"I MEAN THE MARKER!"

"Well, why didn't you say so?" I asked nonchalantly. "Yes, it is, son of a leprechaun."

"Eeeh!? Zoro, you didn't tell me that you were the son of a leprechaun!" Luffy exclaimed, stars appearing in his eyes.

"I'M NOT!" Zoro shouted before diving into the ocean to wash off his make-up. I giggled, and was about to remind Luffy about his arms, before I decided to see how long he would go without noticing. _This ought to be good._

**Day 3**

I was pleasantly surprised the next day to see that even though we (they) had eaten lunch, and then played around and napped, Luffy didn't notice. Every time Zoro tried to tell him, he would receive the ever pleasant gift of a slimy fish down his pants, courtesy of yours truly. Though the fish in the pants was always highly amusing, I was bored.

"Bored bored bored bored bored bored borddedy boredy bored bordey boredy bordey bored bored bo-"

"Stop." It was Zoro.

"But I'm booooored!" I rolled over in the air.

"Deal with it."

"Ok, I'll sing."

"As long as it isn't that annoying song."

"Ok."

"What?"

**We Are the Pirates Who Don't do Anything – Veggie tales**

"_We are the pirates, who don't do anything!_

_We just stay at home, and lie around! _

_And if you ask us to do anything, _

_We will tell you that we don't do anything._

_Well I've never been to Greenland _

_And I've never been to Denver_

_And I've never buried treasure in St. Louie or St. Paul_

_And I've never been to Moscow _

_And I've never been to Tampa_

_And I've never been to Boston in the fall!_

_We are the pirates, who don't do anything!_

_We just stay at home, and lie around!_

_And if you ask us to do anything, _

_We will tell you that we don't do anything._

_And I've never hoist the mainsail,_

_And I've never swabbed the poopdeck,_

_And I've never veered starboard, 'cause I've never sailed at all!_

_And I've never walked the gangplank,_

_And I've never owned a parrot,_

_And I've never been to Boston in the fall!_

_We are pirates, who don't do anything,_

_We just stay at home, and lie around._

_And if you ask us to do anything, _

_We will tell you that we don't do anything!_

_I've never plucked a rooster, _

_And I'm not too good at ping pong,_

_And I've never thrown my mashed potatoes up against the wall!_

_And I've never kissed a chipmunk,_

_And I've never gotten head lice,_

_And I have never been to Boston in the faaaall!"_

"…" There was silence as I finished. I looked over at Zoro and Luffy, who were both staring at me. I grinned, and then straightened up and took a bow.

"Thank you, thank you." I gave them air kisses, then giggled, and did a little aerial tap dance.

Later that day, Zoro figured out that Luffy had eaten the rest of the food. The two of them went to sleep with growling stomachs while I watched the ocean, trying to catch a fish.

**Day 4**

"Ne, ne, Aave?" Luffy asked me as I stared at the water, hoping to see fish, but really trying to find mermaids. Maybe they would teach me how to talk to fish…

"Mmmhmm?" I peered into the water, hoping to see a mermaid's face looking back at me. (And a fish to catch for Zoro and Luffy to eat…)

"Do you see any?"

"What?"

"Fish."

"…" I glared at the water, trying to attract all of the fishies. That didn't work. "Nope." I said, popping the 'p'. Luffy "Aaaw"-ed behind me. I pouted and folded my arms, sitting back in the air to look at the sky.

"I'm starving!" Luffy cried, throwing his arms up into the sky. There was silence or a moment or two.

"Don't you think it's strange that you two can't navigate?" Zoro asked, sitting up from his nap.

"No, drifting has worked pretty well for me." Luffy said.

"I'm a kid. That's learning." I said. "We don't mix." I pulled Bearetta out of my hat, and tossed her into the air, and caught her. Zoro sweatdropped at my answer, and I stuck my tongue out at him after catching Bearetta. I wondered what Bearnaby was doing…

"What about you?" Luffy asked Zoro. "You're supposed to be the holy terror of the seas!" I twirled upside down.

"Yeah, 'holy terror, son of the leprechaun king'. Why are you lost?" I asked in my most patronizing voice.

"Where did you get 'son of the leprechaun king from?" Zoro asked curiously.

"Because no leprechaun is that tall; except for the king and his sons." I answered, hugging Bearetta to my chest.

"Ah." He turned back to Luffy. "I don't recall ever calling myself 'holy terror'." He said, and then pointed over his shoulder. "I followed a pirate I was after out to sea, but I couldn't find my way back to my village." _He got lost…_ I thought to myself with glee.

"So I made the best of things. I went after pirates that were in the area. I had to earn money somehow…" A sense of disappointment washed over Luffy and I, and we said in synch;

"Hmph! So you got lost?"

"YOU DON'T HAVE TO PUT IT LIKE THAT!" Zoro shouted. _Ooooo, shark teeth!_ I giggled as I imagined Zoro as a shark. Green. A green shark sounded perfect. My giggles turned to guffaws as I imagined Shark-Zoro accidently swim into the wrong sea. I was incapacitated by laughter for a few moments while the boys watched me with slight alarm.

"How long can she last?" Luffy asked.

"I bet about five more minutes." Zoro mused.

"RIEHIEHIEHIEHIEHIEHIEHIE!" **A/N: This is Aave's full out laugh, similar to a ROFTL, but more powerful.**

"That is one weird laugh." Zoro said with a sweatdrop.

"…" Luffy couldn't say anything to defend me.

"RIEHIEHIEHIEHIEHIEHI-" *cough, hack* _Gasp gasp_.

"Ahem." I blushed. "I choked."

"YOU'RE A GHOST! HOW CAN YOU CHOKE?!" Zoro shouted while Luffy started to laugh. I waved my hand dismissively.

"You were saying?" I said, pretending to be all ears. All ears…I grinned, and took out a black marker, and started to draw the kanji for ear on every patch of bare skin.

"…anyway…what kind of pirate doesn't know how to navigate a ship?! It's ridiculous." Zoro said. "At this rate, we'll never make it to the Grand Line. We've got to recruit a navigator as soon as possible."

"And we need a Cook, a Musician," Luffy listed off on his fingers.

"THOSE CAN WAIT!" shouted Zoro.

"Ooo! Ooo! A CLOWN!" I shouted with a laugh. Zoro turned to me with his shark teeth.

"NO WA- what the devil did you do?" He asked, pointing to the kanji's that covered even my clothing. All of them said 'ear'. I looked down at myself for a minute before responding.

"I'm all ears." I said. Luffy started to laugh again as Zoro only _just_ managed to stop himself from facepalming.

Luffy's laughter came to a sudden halt as both Zoro and his stomach's started growling. The two of them collapsed next to each other on the deck and groaned.

"I'm starving!" They said in synch. I hung over an imaginary tree branch, and watched them as they stared at the sky.

"_Bip bop boop be bop de bop_." I sang. "_Bobbity bobbity boppity bop_." The fairy queen appeared next to me and started to dance. "_Pop –a-dop boo bop boo bop, tip top top tip too tah_."

"Hey…It's a bird…" Zoro remarked languidly.

"_tah tah tah ti too he hah, bop bop bop pop dop di dop_."

"It looks pretty big…" Luffy added.

"_Timmy tom too tah too tah, gok-a-gok tick tock koo kah_."

"…"

"LET'S EAT IT!" Luffy shouted. I flipped a few flops, and said goodbye to the fairy queen.

"Huh?" Zoro said. "How?"

"Leave it to us! We'll catch it!" Luffy grabbed me around the waist. I blinked. Huh?

His other hand shot upwards, and caught the sail. I was brought face to face with Zoro as Luffy leaned backwards. Eh? My eyes widened in understanding as I heard Luffy's words.

"Gomu gomu no…ROCKET!"

"IIYAAAAH!" I shrieked as we shot upwards, and upwards, and more up, and even uppitier than before…this wasn't good…

"AH!" Luffy cried as the ginormous bird's equally ginormous beak clamped onto Luffy's head. He held onto me tightly, and I was glad. The bird was way faster than I was.

"I name you…Sloth!" I announced from Luffy's arm, feeling accomplished for thinking up such a clever name. *smugness and a raspberry*.

"Don't let go, please." I commanded Luffy, feeling slightly sick at the speed we were going. (Even though I can't feel sick…)

"Ok!" Luffy said from the bird's beak. There was a pause. "Why Sloth?" I gasped with indignation.

"Are you questioning my naming choice?" I asked. Before he could answer, I noticed something ahead of us. "Oooo! An elephant ship!"

"Where?!" Luffy demanded. "Where?!"

"There!" I cried, pointing in the direction of the elephant ship I had decided to name Mr. Whiskers. "And there's a circus tent too! Ooooo, maybe we can get a clown to join your crew!"

"You're on my crew too!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Not!"

"Too!"

"Not!" I got an idea suddenly.

"Are too!" Luffy shouted.

"Are too!" I shouted back with a grin.

"Are not!" There was a pause, but I broke in before he could amend his statement.

"Thank you for agreeing!"

"I didn't!"

"Did!"

"Didn't!"

"Didn't!"

"Di-I'm not falling for _that _again!" He shouted. I tsked in disappointment. *Raspberry*.

_"__Peeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeuuuuuuuuuuuuuu"_

"What's that?" I asked, looking around for the source.

"Sounds like a cannon ball…" Luffy said, still trying to get free of the bird beak. My eyes widened.

"IT _IS_ A CANNON BALL!" I screamed. Luffy was impervious to bullets, but was he impervious to cannon balls? I didn't really want to find out.

"DODGE!" I shouted frantically as I watched the cannon ball come closer. "DODGE!"

"I'm stuck." Luffy said matter-of-factly. I winced as the cannon ball hit the bird, and Luffy started to fall, taking me with him. He swapped us around so that he was falling first, and there was a **_BOOM!_** As we hit the ground.

"IT'S A KID!" I dimly heard someone shout through the dust that was poofing up around our landing point. _Like a mushroom…poof._

"HE FELL FROM THE SKY!" obviously, they hadn't seen me, or they wouldn't be calling Luffy a kid. I knew that when I was 'standing' on the ground, I was a head shorter than Luffy was. I quickly made myself invisible to everyone (excepting Luffy, he needed to see me when I decided to play 'Evil hat stealer'.), and flew over the dissipating dust cloud to see who it was who yelled. It was three bruisers, and one orange haired lady. I dismissed the orangette, and looked at the bruisers. They looked like they belonged in a circus…

"Who's shooting cannon balls at us?" Luffy called out to me. I shrugged in response, and propped my head up with my hands. "Ouch."

"HE'S NOT HURT!" The three bruisers yelled. I noticed that the four people who had witnessed our fall were sitting on the ground. _Why would they want to sit in the middle of the street?_ I wondered.

"Boss!" the orangette shouted, beaming at Luffy as though he were a long lost friend. "You came to rescue me!" She stood up, and then turned and shot down the street. _Wow, she's fast_… "I'll just let you take care of those guys!" She called over her shoulder as she disappeared down the street.

"HEY, SHE'S GETTING AWAY!" Shouted bruiser #1, who was wearing a checkered head kerchief.

"**FORGET THE GIRL!**" Shouted bruiser #2. He looked like a 'Frankenstein's monster'.

"We've got her boss right here." The third one said. He was highly unremarkable except for the small ponytail. The three of them surrounded Luffy, who looked like he didn't know what was going on. "He's a bigger prize than she is."

"ISN'T THAT RIGHT…BOSS?" I watched in horror as Monster whacked Luffy in the head with the butt of his sword, knocking Luffy's hat off of his head. Unexplained anger filled me to the brim at this, and I could feel my face growing colder. Luffy punched Monster in the face as I flew through him. He fell to the ground, blue from the cold and a bruise on his jaw.

"HEY!" Shouted the other two. Cold vapors coiled around me as I felt my anger start to subside a little. I was in control of the cold.

"**Don't touch the hat**." Luffy growled, glaring at them. The two left standing threw insults I didn't really listen to at Luffy, and I flew through one while Luffy beat up the other.

"Wow!" Luffy and I glanced in the direction that the voice had come from. I scowled. It was the orangette. Grudges are being held starting…now!

"You're pretty tough! You beat those saber-swingers with your bare hands!" The lady said with a laugh. I pulled a face at her, tugging my cheeks out and sticking out my tongue, and crossing my eyes.

"I had help…and, uh…who are you?" Luffy asked. I glanced at his hat as I floated closer to the ground. …Naw, better leave it for now…

"Help?...ahem. The name's Nami! I specialize in stealing from pirates!" She made the universal sign for money with her forefinger and thumb. "Wanna team up with me?" HA! No.

"Stealing from pirates?" Luffy had his serious face on.

"That's right!" Nami-baka acknowledged. She swung her feet against the ledge she was sitting on.

"I steal treasure from pirates. Together, we could make a fortune!" I didn't like how happy she sounded about that.

"We don't want to team up with you." Luffy said, walking away.

"I second that motion!" I said, even though she couldn't hear me. I flew after Luffy with a slight scowl on my face. _Onibaba_. I thought.

"Hey, wait a minute!" She called after Luffy. I looked over my shoulder to see her jumping off of the ledge.

"Why'd you get so mad when that guy touched your hat?" She asked once she had caught up with Luffy. "Is it valuable?" Luffy held his hat on his head as I tried to tug it off.

"This hat is my treasure." He said. It was a simple statement really, and I thought that anyone (except for Alvida and Morgan) would be able to understand that, but apparently, Nami-baka couldn't.

"Treasure, huh?" She said, staring at the hat from one side of Luffy while I tried to tug it off on the other. "Do you keep jewels hidden in it?" Almost as an afterthought, she added; "Or a treasure map?"

"Aaw, leave us alone." Luffy complained. "We've got things to do."

"Who's this 'we' you keep talking about? There's only one of you." Nami pointed out. Luffy looked over at me, and I crossed my arms, and raised an eyebrow. No.

"My hat and I…also two other crewmembers." I slapped the back of his head, and flew off in a huff after whispering into Luffys ear;

"I'm going to the docks to wait for Zoro. Don't trust her." I barely caught his nod before I was off.

As I flew down the streets, I shed my invisibility like a cloak.

"….Fairy Queen, you can come out now." There was a pop, and a sprightly young girl about the height of my chin to the top of my skull appeared in front of me.

"I'm just a hallucination, you know." She said with a breathy sigh. Her skin was cherry red, and her hair bright green, cut in a bob. Her ears were long and pointed, and she wore an oversized (for her) pink sweater and boot cut lime green pants, and black tennis-shoes. There was a delicate crown on her head that looked like it was weaved out of golden spider-silk, and encrusted with dewdrops. Her wings were teardrop shaped, and a little ragged around the edges. They were transparent green.

"Of course, I've been a hallucination for so long, I'm now real…ish." She said with a wink of her green eyes. I smiled slightly, and she turned serious. "You aren't your usual kiddy self." She remarked.

"I'm 424 years old. I'm only as grown up as I want to be, and right now is the time to be serious." I responded with complete lack of feeling.

"You don't like being serious…do you." I pouted.

"No." I said with a whine. "It isn't _fun_, so let's get down to business. I'm going to tell Margareta too." Instantly, a dark aura surrounded Fairy Queen.

"Ah. Why do you have to tell _her_?" She muttered crossly.

"You two had another falling out?"

"…"

"Well, get over it. I need your opinions." An irk mark appeared on her head.

"Believe it or not, Aave my dear, it isn't that simple to 'get over it'." She said.

"Really?" I asked, honestly surprised at that fact. "All you have to do is apologize." I nodded to a dog who was sitting in front of a pet store, and then did a double take. _SQUEEEE-mode, activated!_

"KYAAA! Sooooo cuute!" *Hearts and wiggles* I flew over, and started to pet the dog. "Oooo, you're so soft!" I giggled. I heard an 'ahem' behind me, and saw Fairy Queen tapping her toe in mid-air. She crossed her arms.

"What did you want to ask me…I mean us?" She asked, glaring at the dog. She has hated dogs ever since one swallowed her on accident.

"…do you think that I should join Luffy's crew?" I asked. Fairy Queen stared at me in surprise.

"You want to join a crew after what happened with the Sparrow pirates?" I stayed silent as an answer.

"…You ask Margareta, and I'll think on it, ok?" I nodded, and sat in mid-air next to the dog as Fairy Queen poofed away. There was another poof, and Margareta showed up in front of me.

She was tall and willowy, with her long silver hair piled on top of her head, and locks of her beautiful hair fell in artless curls around her face, framing its narrowness perfectly. Her crown was perched in front of the mass, and was swirls with different colored jewels adorning it, all of them packed so close together that it looked like the makers of the crown had taken a rainbow and spun it into a beautiful crown that winked and flashed. Margareta was almost as pale as me, but she was more pink than white. She wore a privateer's blouse, and light brown trousers tucked into knee high black leather boots. She had a regal face, and narrow looking golden eyes.

"Fairy Queen said that you had something to ask me, dearest one?" She asked. Her voice was like silk, and soothed my ears after Fairy Queen's high pitched sparrow-like voice.

"Yes." I nodded, and proceeded to ask her the same question I had asked Fairy Queen. As I asked her, we both moved in the direction of the docks, her walking, and I floating by her side.

"Well, I don't believe that this would end up like the Sparrow pirates, but let's wait until Fairy Queen is done thinking to come to a decision, ok?" I nodded in agreement, and she smiled, and poofed away. I finished the flight to the docks by myself, and was ecstatic to see Zoro there.

"…looks like a ghost town." I heard him say to three guys who looked like clowns. I immediately named them Curly, Larry, and Moe. "Where is everyone?" Zoro finished. I started to fly faster.

"Well, you see sir…"Moe said, "we've taken over this town." He looked sheepish.

"What'll we tell Captain Buggy?" Larry asked Curly. "We're coming back empty handed!"

"We'll just have to tell him the truth!" Curly replied. "It's all that girls fault!"

"C'mon, take me to your Captain." Zoro demanded. I drew breath. "Maybe he knows where Luffy and Aave are."

"ZOOOOOROOOOO!" I crashed into him, causing him to fall back into the boat he had just hopped out of.

"Umph. Never mind…found one…" Zoro grumbled from underneath me as I hugged him to (near) death. *squeeeeze*

"Where's Luffy?" He asked me. I let go of him and floated backwards to let him up before I replied.

"With some strange Onibaba." I said. Zoro's jaw dropped to the ground.

"YOU LEFT HIM WITH A MOUNTAIN WITCH?!" He shouted. I nodded.

"I told him not to trust her too much, but I doubt he heeded my warning." I said, linking my hands behind my back. Zoro grunted, and turned to Larry, Curly, and Moe.

"Where is your Captain?" He asked forcefully. They all pointed down the same street, which was the same street I had used to get to the docks.

"On top of the only tavern in town." Curly said. _Top? Why the top?_

"Let's go." Zoro said before racing off. I followed quickly after him. I hoped Luffy hadn't gone and done anything _too_ silly, like get himself tied up and thrown into a cage…

**Oooo, I think there was a bit of premonition there! ;) Hope you loved it!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Ureshiitamago: O.O Oh my god, this is my most popular fic I have written so far…excuse me while I pass out…**

**Aave: What? Why? How do you know?**

**Ureshiitamago: OVER 1,000 VIEWS THIS MONTH! *SQUEEEEEEEE* Is it sad that this is my highest ever?**

**Aave: Her Squeee-mode activated…and I don't know…**

**Zoro: Ignore her, we have to find Luffy.**

**Ureshiitamago: *Hyperventilating* **

**Aave: Here, I'll do the thankies, and you do the disclaimer. Maybe when we're done, she'll be able to write…**

**QuirkyKit, Unslaadtoorjun, Kira Tsumi, seblackburn4, missNOBODYa. , Spricket, and BloodWaltz for favoriting/following!**

**And a special thanks to scarlet rose white, QuirkyKit, and Kira Tsumi for reviewing! Love those reviews! **

**Zoro: Don't see why I have to…*sigh* Disclaimer, this idiot author fangirling over how many views this story got doesn't own me, or…*whispers to Aave* What does this say?**

**Aave: *peers at the paper* One Piece.**

**Zoro: Ok. She doesn't own me or One Piece. **

**Aave: Lets get started! Woohoo! XD**

**Ureshiitamago: There is a special Omake at the end of this chappie. **

_ "__Where is your Captain?" He asked forcefully. They all pointed down the same street, which was the same street I had used to get to the docks. _

_ "__On top of the only tavern in town." Curly said. _Top? Why the top?

_ "__Let's go." Zoro said before racing off. I followed quickly after him. I hoped Luffy hadn't gone and done anything too silly, like get himself tied up and thrown into a cage…_

**Chapter 6: Ghosting around**

I flew at top speed next to Zoro, simultaneously worrying about Luffy, and snickering about tall grumpy leprechauns at the end of rainbows. Why? I felt like it. :P

"Here?" Zoro thought out loud, looking up at the roof of what appeared to be a tavern. What tipped me off was the sign that said; "The Drinker Pub".

"Unless there's another 'only tavern in town', then yeah." I said, raising one of my eyebrows at him. Zoro scowled at me, and started to climb. Climb? Climb. Up the building. On the outside.

"Should you be doing this without protective gear?" I asked, looking down at how far he had come. We were almost at the top, and I could hear what sounded like jeering, and people egging someone on to…blast someone?

"Did you hear that?" I asked him when he didn't answer my first question.

"Yeah, they're going to blow someone up. Big whoop." He answered, furrowing his brow as he looked for another handhold. I scowled.

"I'm going invisible to see _who_ they're going to blow up." I said, and left. _Geez, leprechauns can be so grouchy when they're concentrating…_I thought as I rose over the roof. _That looks like Luffy in there…hmmm…it _is_ Luffy…*blankness*…*sudden realization*…_

"ZOROOO!" I zoomed back to where I had left Zoro. He was taking his sweet time in moving, but I knew that my news would make him move like a bullet.

"What?!" He asked. "I'm _trying_ to concentrate here." He glared at me. "And _you_ are certainly not helping." I wrung my hands, and looked worried enough for him to guess that something was wrong.

"What?" He asked, less irritably this time.

"Luffy's the one they want to blow up!" I blurted. "And they're trying to make the Onibaba do it, but she's hesitating!" That finally got him moving. He leapt up the rest of the building in a white and green blur, serving to further my belief that he was the son of the leprechaun king. I flew over the top of the roof in time to see Zoro block four pirates from killing Nami-baka by simply holding two sheathed katana out horizontally and allowing the pirates to slam their faces into the katana.

"ZORO!" Luffy shouted, smiling like a kid on Christmas. I giggled at the comical sight, and flew over to where Luffy was shut in the cage.

"Hey, Luffy!" I called, waving at him through the bars. He turned to look at me, didn't seem to see me for a second, and then he grinned like a madman.

"Aave! You came too!" He observed excitedly. "Let me loose!"

"Always goofing around." Zoro said with a huff, tapping one of the katana on his shoulder idly. "First you fly off with a bird, and now you're playing in some cage…fool!"

"Aaw, Zoro! That's mean even if it's true!" I said, pouting and crossing my arms as I examined the ropes holding Luffy. Luffy sweatdropped.

"You agree with him…" I decided not to answer, instead opting to pretend that Luffy was a Damsel in Distress, and I was the knight in shining armor, there to save the day. "Poof" a ghost knife appeared in my hand. "Pop" It turned real and I began to cut the rope binding Luffy.

"D-did he just call that guy Zoro?" one of the clowns that were surrounding us said nervously.

"What's Pirate Hunter Zoro doing talking to that thief?" another wondered. _I_ wondered if we would get a clown on the crew. That would be fun…

"The crewmate he was talking about was Pirate Hunter Zoro?" Nami-baka wondered out loud. "And where is the _other_ crewmate? What's going on here?" I blinked in not-surprise as I realized that Nami-baka was talking about me. _He claimed that I was his crewmate again, eh?_ I thought to myself as I sawed through the knot. The way Luffy was bound, it wouldn't do much help to just cut through _one_ piece of the rope. I glanced over at Zoro in time to see a clown in a cape saunter over to him. I dropped my knife with a clatter, and my eyes started to sparkle.

"KING OF CLOWNS!" I screamed, pointing at the king. "SO AWESOME!" Luffy leaned away from my screaming with a slightly pained look on his face. I took that as a lower-your-voice look. I stopped screaming, and instead started to mentally freak out. I always loved clowns. They were funny, and always cheered me up when there was a circus in town.

"So, you're Roronoa Zoro, eh?" I stopped freaking out at his voice. It sounded like a teenage boy going through puberty. I started to bang my head against the top of the cage, and then accidently went through it to land on top of Luffy's lap.

"Sorry."

"S'okay." Meanwhile, the king of clowns was still talking in his annoying voice.

"You must have come to capture me." He sounded so sure of himself that I cringed.

"I gave up pirate hunting." Zoro said. "I have no interest in you." I giggled a little as I picked up the knife, and started working on the knot again, this time sitting next to Luffy. (It was a medium sized cage.)

"Well," The clown king said, twirling some knives. "I'm interested in you. Killing you will be a nice feather in my cap." I glanced at said cap. It was a stereotypical pirate captain's hat, but instead of feathers, it had what looked like blue hair hanging over either end. Another thing I noticed was that he had a large red nose. I turned my attention back to the knot at hand with a shake of my head. _Concentrate…concentrate…concentrate…ooo, a butterfly!_

"GIVE ME ALL YOU'VE GOT, PIRATE HUNTER, 'CAUSE I'M ABOUT TO GET A LOOK AT YOUR BLOOD!" There was a small clash of knives against swords, and then the sound of swords going through flesh, but without the squishy sounds like there should have been.

"Hey!" Luffy exclaimed, not paying attention to the fact that I had almost gotten all of the way through the knot, "That was too easy!" A sense of worry crept up on me, and I frowned as I sawed through the rest of the knot. The rope didn't untangle. Uh oh. I glanced to the side to see the clowns laughing about king clown in bits on the roof.

"There's no blood." I noted aloud.

"Maybe Zoro just cuts that fast?" Luffy suggested.

"Hmph." Zoro said around the sword in his mouth. I was still disappointed over the lack of a third arm… "That was almost disappointing." _I'll say…there's no third arm!_ I stared at Zoro's chest, willing a third arm to appear. It didn't, and I pouted, a dark aura appearing above my head. _That would've been soooo cool!_

"Hey, Zoro!" Luffy called. "Aave didn't cut me free! Get me out of here!" I thwacked him on the head with Bearetta.

"I cut through the knot!" I shrieked at him as Zoro made his way over. "But the ropes didn't fall off! I blame the rope fairies! The most evil fairies of them all!" I turned away in a huff, watching Zoro draw closer, and then his face as it contorted in pain. The world felt like it was moving in slow motion as Zoro fell onto his knees, and made a grab for the armless hand that was stabbing the dagger that it was holding into Zoro's side. All the while, the clowns were laughing.

"WHAT'S GOING ON…!?" Zoro shouted, coughing up blood. I stared wide-eyed at the hole in his side as the hand holding the knife pulled the knife back out of his side.

"The hand!" Zoro shouted, turning to face the floating hand holding the dripping knife. "It's floating!"

"The bara bara no mi!" The annoying puberty voice of the clown king said from behind Zoro, who whipped around to face him. I dropped the knife I was holding in shock as I continued to stare at the wound in Zoro's side.

"THAT WAS THE DEVIL'S FRUIT THAT I ATE!" his hand reequipped to his arm. "YOU CAN SLICE ME, YOU CAN DICE ME, BUT YOU CAN'T KILL ME!" He shouted. "I'M A CHOPCHOPMAN!"

"Unimaginative." I muttered.

"Why do you have a sewing needle and thread?" Luffy asked, still cringing from seeing the wound that king clown had inflicted on Zoro. I looked in surprise at what I was holding.

"Dunno…" I mused.

"But he's a Chopchop man eh, that guy's a freak!" Luffy exclaimed. I fell sideways.

"You're one to talk!" I shouted at him.

"You're a freak too." Luffy said huffily. Nami-baka stared at us. (Luffy, actually. I was still invisible to her.)

"Who are you talking to?" She demanded.

"Aave."

"Your hat?"

"…something like that." He was now glaring at king clown, who was taunting Zoro.

"Roronoa Zoro! You never had a chance! Looks like I missed your vitals…but you still took a serious wound!" Zoro was crouched before him, his back turned to us. My hands curled at my sides, and a sliver of anger started to thread through my veins, turning them to ice.

"Distract him, Luffy." I said. Luffy nodded and took in a breath.

"STABBING SOMEONE IN THE BACK IS FIGHTING DIRTY!… YOU GOT THAT, BIG NOSE?!"

There was a collective gasp from both Nami-baka and the other clowns. I flew silently through the crowd. (Literally) They didn't notice their own Nakama falling to the ground, ice cold.

"YOU FOOL!" Nami-baka shouted. "THAT'S THE ONE THING YOU NEVER-"

"**YOU DARE CALL ME BIG NOSE?!**" King clown threw a knife at Luffy. I yelped as it passed through me, and through the bars, and then slammed into Luffy.

"**LUFFY!**" Zoro and I shouted. _I didn't mean make him attack you! BAKA!_ I quickly flew over, and reached the cage in time to see Luffy lift up his head, the knife in his mouth. He bit down with a grin, and the blade shattered.

"I swear I'm gonna clobber you!" Luffy declared. King clown started to laugh, an irritating, high pitched sound. **A/N: You can probably tell that I don't like Buggy all that much…**

"Heh heh…clobber _me_?" Buggy mocked.

"HEH HEH! CLOBBER ME! DON'T MAKE ME LAUGH! YOU THREE ARE ABOUT TO DIE!"

"It's hopeless." Nami-baka said. "We're dead."

"I'm already dead…" I remarked from beside her. I was still invisible, so she looked freaked out as she glanced around, looking for the owner to the voice. Ooo, she was almost as fun to prank as Zoro was!

"HAHAHA!" Luffy laughed along with king clown…what was his name anyways?

"NO WAY! I'M NOT GONNA DIE!" Luffy shouted with a determined smile on his face. Even though he was tied up and in a cage, I knew he could do it. I trusted him to.

"AND JUST _HOW_ DO YOU INTEND TO CLOBBER ME _NOW_?" king clown(?) demanded.

"Ain't that a laugh, boys?"

"Zoro!" Luffy shouted. "RUN!" Zoro looked at Luffy in confusion before understanding set in.

"Oh…" He said, breathing heavily from the lack of blood. "Gotcha…" I sweatdropped as Nami held her head in between her hands and looked agitated.

"AAVE!" Luffy shouted. I looked over. "FLY!" I grinned, and saluted him.

"Ay ay, mia kapitano!" He looked confused at my word choice, and I grinned as I flew through the pirates near the cannon. They fell to the side, leaving Zoro free to flip the cannon.

"RORONOA ZORO!" king clown(?) shouted as he shot his hands at Zoro. "YOU WONT GET AWAY THAT EASILY! **BARA BARA NO CANNON!**" Zoro deflected the hands with two of his three swords, and ran at the cannon, grabbed it, and with some effort, flipped it so it was pointing at king clown and his clown followers.

"Your guts are splurting out." I remarked, poking his wound.

"Stop that." He said, slapping my hands away. The pirates (plus king clown[?]) started freaking out over a 'special Buggy ball' that was inside of the cannon still.

"LIGHT THIS THING!" Zoro shouted at Nami-baka. She didn't have any trouble lighting the fuse now that it was pointing at meany pirates.

"RIGHT!"

"KABOOM!" I shouted, throwing my hands up into the air. A second later, I was giggling at the loud sound that the cannon made.

"Now's our chance. You're Nami-baka, right?" Zoro asked Nami. She thwacked him in the head with her fist.

"I'M NOT A BAKA!" She shouted. "I'm a thief." I blew a raspberry in her ear. She freaked out and started to look for me again. Luffy laughed.

"Actually, she's our new navigator, so be nice, Aave." I made an 'aaw' sound and became visible. Nami-baka (I was still going to call her that…:P) yelled at Luffy.

"What are you talking about?! Are you crazy?! And shouldn't you be trying to get out of the cage?"

"Oh yeah…Aave? Are you done?" He was looking at the knot I had severed. I shook my head.

"Thar's 'nother knot thar, matey." I donned an eyepatch, and swung an imaginary sword into the sky.

"No problem." Zoro said. He was sweating pretty hard. "You just stay in the cage." He wore a confidant and determined grin on his face, so I entered the cage, and sat behind Luffy so I could braid his hair.

"What are you doing?" Luffy asked me.

"Braiding your hair." I answered.

"Ok." There was some silence until we heard king clown(?) sputtering.

"Zoro! Don't do this!" Luffy begged his first-mate. "Your guts'll squirt out!" I made a face at that mental image and continued to braid Luffy's hair. I squeeked as the cage was suddenly lifted into the air, and onto Zoro's back.

"THEN I'LL JUST SHOVE 'EM BACK IN!" Zoro shouted. "I do things my own way."

"So don't give me any lip about it!" I could tell that this was directed at me. As Zoro leapt over to the next building, and hid us behind a part of the roof that was pointy, I started to softly sing a song that used to cheer me up in the years where no one was on my island. I had learned it from another spirit from another dimension.

"_Raindrops on roses, and whiskers on kittens."_ Luffy was hitting his head against the bars in an attempt to break out. I floated out of the cage, and laid down on top of it.

"Darn it!" Luffy complained. "If only I could get out of this cage!" I had been able to rid him of his ropes, so now he was free(ish).

"_Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens._"

"We're in a fine…" Zoro paused for a moment, and a wince made its way across his face. I took Bearetta out from my hat, and dressed her in a fancy plume feather hat and pirates clothing. "…mess." Zoro finished. "Now we've gotta finish what we've started."

"_Brown paper packages tied up with strings…_"

Zoro stood up once the pirates were done searching the main road, and started to drag the cage to the edge of the building. Once he was there, he tossed the cage to the ground, and jumped down. I floated next to him as he dragged the cage down the road. Luffy was gnawing at the bars in an attempt to get out.

"_These are a few of my favorite things…_"

"We should be far enough from that tavern." Zoro grunted, breathing heavily "They probably won't catch up to us too soon…"

"_Cream colored ponies, and crisp apple strudels._"

"We got away…" his sentences were becoming shorter, and the amount of time between when he talked was becoming longer. "for now…but what are we going to do about this cage? And what are you singing?" He looked at me irritably, and I stuck my tongue out at him.

"I can't do _anything _stuck inside here…" Luffy complained.

"I sing it when something scary happens!" I said.

"_Doorbells and sleigh bells and schnitzel with noodles._"

Zoro dropped the cage, and then face-planted into the ground. To my delight, it was in front of that pet shop from earlier. The dog was still there, and I continued to pet her as I sang.

"_Wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings…_"

"It's no use…" Zoro muttered from his spot on the ground. "lost too much blood…got to…rest…"

"_These are a few of my favorite things…_" I uncapped a marker (black), and drew a handlebar moustache on Zoro's upper arm.

"_Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes…" _Zoro saw the dog, and sat up with a grunt.

"What's up with you, dog?" He asked her. I tittered at him for moving, and thwacked the back of his head.

"She lives here."

"Dog? Hey, a dog!" Luffy said, finally noticing the dog. He rocked the cage he was in over to Zoro and I, and stared the dog in the face.

"Is it real?" Luffy questioned. "It's not moving…"

"Who cares?" Zoro asked. "It's her business if she moves or not. Our business is to get you out of there." I nodded in agreement.

"_Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes. Silver white winters that melt into springs...these are a few of my favorite thiiiings!"_

"Maybe it's dead." Luffy said, poking the dog between her eyes.

"_When the dog bites!-…"_ Zoro and I stared at the dog now biting Luffy.

"Never, ever, _ever_ sing while I'm fighting." Zoro ordered.

"Yes sir." I said, still staring at Luffy and the dog.

"DUMB DOG! LEMME GO! LEMME GO!" Luffy shouted, punching the dog on the face in an attempt to make her let go. She gripped harder.

"LUFFY, STOP PLAYING AROUND!" Zoro shouted, but then collapsed back onto the ground in exhaustion. I stared at Luffy for a minute, watching as the dog finally let go, and sat back in her place.

"Dumb dog!" Luffy shouted.

"Lost too much blood…" Zoro gasped.

"Can I sing the rest of my song?"

"**NO!**" They shouted in synch.

"Well, fine then!" I stuck my tongue out at them, then pulled a towel out of nowhere, and started to pretend that I was flicking a whip. _Whachshhhhh Smack! _

"Look at you two…" A familiar voice said. I looked over my shoulder to see Nami-baka standing farther down the road with one hand on her hip.

"Not to criticize, but is the middle of the street really the best hiding place you could come up with?"

"Excuuuse me." I said, placing my hands on my hips and pretending to be sassy. "But there are _three_ people here." She stared at me for a moment with sweat running down her face, before she muttered something about a hallucination, and turned back to Zoro and Luffy.

"Hey, it's our Navigator!" Both Zoro and Luffy said.

"I NEVER AGREED TO THAT!" Nami-baka shouted. "I just wanted to thank you for saving me."

"I'm not a hallucination…am I?" I muttered near Luffy. "Am I?"

"Thank us?" Zoro asked as Luffy patted my head. I began to purr. Nope, _not_ a hallucination…Maybe…

"Hey!" Luffy stopped patting my head and looked at a key that clanked in front of his cage. "THE KEY!" He shouted happily. "YOU STOLE THE KEY TO THE CAGE!"

"Hmph." Nami-baka rolled her eyes, and attempted to pretend as though she didn't care. "Yeah, sure…I got the stupid key, but I left the map and all of the treasure."

"Pat my head." I demanded Luffy. He absently began to pat my head as he talked to Nami-baka in excitement.

"This is great!" He laughed, "I thought I'd never get out of here!"

"Then the rescue was a success…after all…" Zoro said. Luffy reached for the key, but before he picked it up, the dog grabbed it in its mouth, and then made a show of swallowing it. There was a pause as all parties (including me) stared at the dog in disbelief before all hell broke loose.

"**COUGH IT UP!**" Luffy screamed, strangling the dog. "**THAT'S NOT FOOD! GIMME THAT KEY!**" The cage filled with smoke as Luffy and the dog started to tussle again.

"DERN WHIPPERSNAPPERS!" Someone shouted from behind us. "DON'T YOU PICK ON POOR OL' CHOUCHOU!"

**Cliffhanger!**

**Omake**

I flew through the forest, happily singing Bink's Sake and pretending that I was one of the archeologists from Ohara, figuring out when the island was created, by whom, and why. So far I had figured out that the island was created forever ago, and was made by a unicorn named Bob because she (yes, she) wanted company.

"Avast there ye landlubbers!" I cried, changing from archeologist to pirate. "Walk the plank!" I burst through the tree line to the beach, and yelped as I flew through someone.

"SORRY!" I shouted, flying back to them and circling until I could see their face. They were blue, but still standing, so I took that as a sign that I hadn't exposed them to the spirit world for too long. "Are you okay?" I asked the man. He was wearing a strawhat.

"Yes. I'm fine. And you are?" He grinned so wide that I thought his head would split in two, and then he laughed. It was a strange laugh, but I rather liked it, and so I laughed along with him.

His grin was fierce, and his eyes intense. He wore his strawhat perched proudly on his black hair, and he wore an open black dress shirt, showing off his abs, and jeans over cowboy boots. He had a sack over his shoulder, and he seemed to have come from the small boat that was docked on the almost non-existent dock. There was another man on the dock, and he was watching us curiously. This man had gold hair slicked back against his head, and a weird beard. He wore circular spectacles, a flower patterned open shirt, khakis, and ankle boots. He also had a scar on his right eye, and I wondered how he got it.

"I'm Aave! And I'm fine. I was wondering about you because, well, I'm not as careful now that there aren't any people living here, and to be honest, I totally forgot that humans freeze up inside when I fly through them, and well, I flew through you s-" I was stopped by a finger hovering near, but not touching, my mouth.

"Whoa there. What do you mean no people are here anymore?"

"They left."

"Why?"

"Because I'm here." There was some silence as the other man joined us.

"What's going on, Roger?" He asked. I tilted my head to the side as the two men had a silent conversation.

"Why are you here alone?" The new man asked. I felt confused. I wasn't alone. I had Fairy Princess, and Queen Margareta to keep me company.

"I'm not alone." I said. I watched them exchange glances again.

"Then where are your parents?"

"Dead, probably reborn." I said. "They should be, by now. They've been dead almost…" I counted on my fingers. "392 years ago…no, 387 years ago!" I smiled at my accomplishment.

"…" There was a moment of silence, and then the newly named Roger started to laugh again.

"Well, hello then, Aave. I'm Gol D Roger! I'm going to overturn the world together with my firt-mate Rayleigh!" I grinned, and concentrated on my hand.

"Pop! Shake!" I held out my hand, and he took it graciously. I turned to the other man next. "And you!" He shook my hand as well, looking a little bemused at the entire situation, and a little worried.

"So, dead 387 years ago means that _you're_ dead too, huh?" The other man said.

"Yup!"

"You don't seem too sad."

"Nope!" He sweatdropped.

"Is there food here?" Roger asked. I nodded.

"Yup!"

"Will you show us where it is?" Rayleigh asked.

"Yup! This way!" I floated back into the forest from where I had emerged, humming as I led them to the overgrown path to the market.

"_Binkusu no sake wo, todoke ni yuku yo, umikaze kimakase namimakase!_" I sang loudly as I flew, and was pleasantly surprised when two other voices joined me.

"_Shio no mukou de, yuuhi no sawagu, sora nya, wa wo kaku, tori no uta~!_" We reached our destination, and I flew over to the fruit produce section, where the fruit had long ago rotted and the pits grew into fruit trees, leaving an abundance of fruit that fell to the ground every year. I did my best to eat it all, but I never could. People who could take all of the fruit off of my hands were welcome.

"Here we go!" I shouted from the top of an apple tree. "Catch!" I started to shake the top, where all of the good juicy ones were, and heard various variations of the word 'ouch' from below. We continued on with the next couple trees, and I told them where the best spots for hunting were. In this way, the day was passed, and they camped out in my favorite clearing.

"-and so he convinced me to take him with me." Rayleigh was telling me how Roger made him join his pirate crew.

"Riehiehiehiehie!" I laughed. "Pirates have the best adventures!" I was slightly envious, mainly because these two could leave their island, and sail to new places.

"Want to come and overturn the world with us?" Roger asked. I blinked at him in surprise, before pulling my hat closer to my eyes so the brim shadowed my face.

"I do…"

"I sense a 'but'." Rayleigh remarked after taking a swig of whatever was in his flask.

"…I can't leave this island." I admitted. Roger looked at me in surprise.

"Can't leave?"

"Whenever I try, I black out and end up back in this clearing." Roger and Rayleigh looked around at the clearing. I looked up with a wide grin.

"But it doesn't bother me as much as it used to!" I said happily. "One of these days, I'll be able to leave, and then I can see the world through the eyes of a pirate!" I laughed, and spun in the air a couple times.

"How did you die?" Roger asked me curiously.

"Roger, that's impolite." Rayleigh berated him. I laughed.

"No, it's fine! Ghosts like being asked that!" Rayleigh gaped at me a little in disbelief.

"I was sick!" I said. "And just wasted away…" it was very anti-climatic, and I wasn't proud about it.

"Ne, Roger?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't die like I did. It's very anti-climatic." I could feel his sickness, like a thrum in the air that was disgustingly sweet.

"…I won't, I promise on this watch." With that, he took a brown and gold pocket watch, and held it in front of me. "and I want _you_ to promise something too." I nodded, and he took my hand and placed the pocket watch in it.

"When you _do_ get off of this island, come and find me." I blinked away tears, and nodded silently. I was a _ghost_. I couldn't cry…right? Wrong.

The next day, I full out sobbed as their boat drew farther and farther away from my island. I clutched the now ghost pocket watch in my left hand, and waved it in the air for as long as I could see them still. I strung the watch onto a chain, and hung it on my neck.

"I PROMISE!" I shouted after them, voice thick with tears.

**A little back story! I hope you liked this one, and thank you for the over 1,000 views! WOW!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Ureshiitamago: Hmmm…wasn't there that report that was due tomorrow? Did I print it?...meh, I'll do it later.**

**Aave: This only proves that you have no life. **

**Ureshiitamago: hmm…I should resent that, but I don't…I am officially a lost cause! *proud***

**Aave: She doesn't own One Piece or any songs that pop up in here! **

**Ureshiitamago: For a bit of a change, I'm going to be doing the thankies this time around!**

**Thank you TheShadowInDarkness for following and favoriting**

**And a special thanks to scarlet rose white for reviewing again!**

**Aave: Onwards! To victory! Or perhaps harsh defeat!**

_ "__**COUGH IT UP!**__" Luffy screamed, strangling the dog. "__**THAT'S NOT FOOD! GIMME THAT KEY!**__" The cage filled with smoke as Luffy and the dog started to tussle again. _

_ "__DERN WHIPPERSNAPPERS!" Someone shouted from behind us. "DON'T YOU PICK ON POOR OL' CHOUCHOU!"_

**Chapter 7: Ghost Fire**

_Poodle hair…_I thought as I looked at the armored old man before us. He was wearing what looked like cheap armor, and was carrying a spear that looked like it would do hardly any damage. _Poodle…_

"Chouchou?" Luffy asked, trying to pry the dog off of his face.

"Who are you, old timer?" Zoro asked.

"Are you a Poodle?" I asked.

"No, I'm not a poodle." The poodle-man said. "I'm the mayor of this town, Mayor Boodle!"

"That sounds like Poodle." I observed.

"I am human." Mayor Poodle Boodle retorted. Then he looked at Zoro, and saw the wound in his side.

"Ah, what a terrible injury." Mayor Poodle Boodle said. "I take it Buggy went after you folks too, eh? We need to get you to a Doctor!" And with that, Zoro was forcibly pulled away by the Mayor to a house down the street.

"So, King Clown's name is Buggy?" I asked Luffy.

"Yeah." Luffy said, reaching out to pat my head again. I began to purr, and we all watched the house, waiting for the Mayor to come back.

"How's Zoro?" Luffy asked the Mayor when he came back. Luffy peeked up through the bars to look him in the face.

"He needs to see a Doctor." Mayor Poodle Boodle said. "But he said he'd sleep it off, and went to bed." I grinned.

"Can I draw a moustache on him again?" I asked Luffy. He laughed, and patted my head, but didn't answer. I took that as a no.

"Aaaaouunmm" Chouchou yawned. Nami-baka started to pat her head.

"So this dog is named Chouchou?" Nami-baka asked the Mayor.

"What's she just sitting here for?" Luffy asked with a laugh.

"Protecting?" I suggested, clipping doggy ears onto Bearetta's head.

"She's guarding the shop." Mayor Poodle Boodle corrected. "I just came to feed her."

"Oh! So she's a guard dog…" Nami-baka looked at the building Chouchou was sitting in front of, "for a Pet Food store." I clipped the tail onto Bearetta, and placed her beside Chouchou. Chouchou sniffed Bearetta, and then wagged her tail.

"A good friend of mine owned this store." Mayor Poodle Boodle explained. I wrinkled my nose. Long explanations and short attention spans didn't go together well…

"About ten years ago, he and Chouchou opened up this little shop. They've got a lot of memories here, and so do I…" The Mayor trailed off as he looked into the distance.

"Is this place your treasure?" I whisper-asked Chouchou, who responded with an equally soft 'woof'.

"See those wounds?" The Mayor pointed out, "She's been fighting the pirates, protecting her store."

"I'm sure this means a lot to her master, but this is just cruel!" Nami-baka said. _She's jumping to conclusions~!_

"Is he at the refugee shelter with the others?" She asked. The Mayor opened the door to the pet shop, walked in, and came back out with a dish full of dog food. He set the dish in front of Chouchou and Bearetta, and Chouchou started to gobble down the food.

"No, he's not…" Mayor Poodle Boodle said, sitting on the porch, and watching Chouchou devour her food. "He got sick and passed away."

"He went to the hospital three months ago."

"The poor thing!" Nami-baka said sympathetically. "You mean she's been waiting here for her master the whole time?" I started to do barrel rolls in the air, listening to Boodle, but at the same time, thinking about what it would be like to be a bird.

"That's what everybody says, but that's not what I think." Boodle said. "Chouchou is a smart dog. She probably already knows that her master is dead." I floated over to Luffy, and sat on top of the cage.

"Then why does she still guard the store?" Nami-baka asked. The answer was obvious to me, and probably Luffy too. Treasures were the most important things.

"This is her master's store. It's his treasure." Boodle replied. I unconsciously gripped my pocket watch with my hand.

"And I think that Chouchou still guards the store because it's all that's left of her beloved master." The Mayor took a long drag on his pipe. _Where did that come from?_ I wondered.

"I've been trying to get her to the shelter, but she won't budge from this spot." Smoke slowly curled away from the Mayors mouth, and I watched it dance up into the sky.

"She'd rather starve than leave her post." There was a moment of silence as I tried to catch the smoke in my hands, failing every time, but still giggling like a madchild.

"**ROOOOOWWWWWRRRR!**" I flew backwards a few feet, and then righted myself, and watched Boodle and Nami-baka run off.

"MOHJI THE LION TAMEERR!" Shouted Boodle as he ran past me. I blinked.

"A lion? Cool!" I flew over to Luffy, who was demanding the key from Chouchou.

"Hey Luffy, Poodle Boodle said that there's going to be a Lion coming this way!" I said excitedly. "A real live lion!" I threw imaginary flowers in the air and skipped in a circle.

"Give me that key, dog."

"Dogs can't throw up when you say so." I informed him. There was a shiver in the air that rustled my hair around my hat, and I looked over my shoulder to find myself face to muzzle with the lion. I looked up, and up, and up, and finally saw its eyes. They were red with black dots in the center. Something bubbled up in my chest, and I couldn't help myself.

"KITTY!" I cried, becoming normal for a moment so I could squeeze the lion. I squawked as the lion smacked my side, and I slammed against the cage that Luffy was in. I fell through into Luffy's arms.

"Hehe, soft!" I chortled. Luffy sweatdropped.

"Even _I_ think that hugging a lion is a bad idea…" He said. "I tend to eat them instead."

"Ooo! How do you cook them?" I asked.

"Hmm, I slowly roast them over a fire." As we were talking, the weirdo man sitting on top of the Lion was becoming more and more irritated.

"SHUT UP! I'M TRYING TO TELL YOU ABOUT YOUR DOOM!" He finally shouted.

"He interrupted us." I noted.

"Yeah, he interrupted us." Luffy agreed.

"Not fair. BOO!"

"BOO!"

"STOP IT! Ahem." He cleared his throat. I wondered if the weird bear pattern he was wearing was his hair…naw, that would be _too_ weird…

"As I was saying," he folded his arms in what he seemed to think was a threatening manner, "I'm Mohji, Buggy's first-mate. They call me the Lion tamer!"

"Oh, I see your Nakama have deserted you!"

"No, they haven't." Luffy said. "There's one here." He pointed at me, and I pouted.

"No, I'm not. I'm haunting your ship. There's a difference!"

"I'M NOT FINISHED!" Mohji yelled. We shut up. "Just after you managed to escape, too…Captain Buggy is pretty worked up." The lion started to shift from paw to paw. "You guys stirred up a real hornet's nest."

"What's with that weird animal suit?" Luffy asked, patting my head.

"**WHAT?!**" Mohji shouted with rage. "**COSTUME?! THIS IS MY HAIR!**" He pointed at the bear ears on his head. I grimaced in disgust.

"Eeew."

"That only makes it weirder." Luffy commented.

"**SHUT UP!**" Mohji demanded. "Maybe you think you're safe in that cage…if so, then you really don't know who I am." I purred as Luffy kept on patting me on the head. Was this how cats and dogs felt when they were being petted? If so, I finally understood why they loved it. It was soooo soothing.

"There's not an animal alive that I can't control. I can even control that mutt." He pointed at Chouchou.

"I wouldn't bet on it." I muttered so only Luffy could hear. He chuckled as I was proved right when Mohji tried to make Chouchou shake his hand, but was bitten instead. Mohji climbed back onto his lion, and pretended that he wasn't just bitten.

"You're just a nobody thief." He said, narrowing his eyes.

"Haha! Dog got you!" Luffy and I sang at the same time. Mohji's face darkened.

"You're nothing to me." He said. "Now tell me where Roronoa Zoro is." The lion growled.

"No!" Luffy replied with his own growl.

"THEN DIE!" Mohji shouted. "GET THEM, RICHIE!" The lion jumped at us, and Luffy let go of me so I could be transparent again. The cage crumbled underneath the large feline's claws, and the pieces flew everywhere.

"HOORAY! I'M FREE!" Luffy yelled as he jumped out of the way, only to be hit be Richie's paw and slammed through a building.

"Nobody could survive that." Mohji said. "Serves him right. C'mon Richie, let's go find Roronoa Zoro. Killing him will give our reputation a big boost." I floated in front of the lion and his tamer, and stared at them. They stared back, and then Richie's stomach growled.

"Ah, a pet food store. Just what we need." Mohji said, completely ignoring me. "Ok, fine. Have a quick snack, but be quick about it."

"NO FURTHER!" I shouted, flinging my arms out to block their path. Chouchou growled furiously next to me.

"What, do you two think you can stop us from entering that store?" Mohji asked. I gritted my teeth, and glared at them, ice beginning to crawl through my veins. Chouchou barked next to me, standing up into a fighting stance.

"You two…don't tell me you're guarding this crummy store." He said. Fury started to overwhelm me, and I felt the temperature drop a few degrees around me. Richie's paw went through me to connect with Chouchou, who yelped as she flew through the air into a wall.

"CHOUCHOU!" I yelled, but didn't move from my spot. I was guarding her treasure. I couldn't let this guy through. Richie was staring at his paw, which was covered in frost and ice.

"Go on, Richie. The girl can't do anything." I solidified my hands at that statement, and imagined a dagger. "Poof" "Pop"

"No. Further." I ground out, stabbing Richie on the muzzle. He yowled, and reared backwards to hold his muzzle in between his paws. I felt the weight of the watch around my neck as I swung at Richie again as he lunged forwards. Unfortunately, one of his paws caught my hand holding the dagger, and because it was real, I was sent flying through a wall. I flew back through just in time to see Chouchou go flying again, and then get back up to throw herself at the intruder. She bit Richie's leg, and I stabbed his shoulder, but he just looked at us like we were flies, and sent Chouchou flying again. Desperate, I flew through him, causing most of his body to freeze from cold, but he plowed onwards (a bit more slowly) onto the porch. I floated next to Chouchou, who was dripping blood, and staggering, but still trying to protect her master's treasure. I imagined Bearetta growing to the size of a real bear, and threw her in front of Richie. As she grew, Mohji decided to mock us.

"My-oh-my. You two don't know when to quit." He crowed. "Do you two have a death sentence?" Richie growled, and rushed at Chouchou while Chouchou aimed for his leg. I aimed for Mohji.

"I'M ALREADY DEAD!" I shouted, driving the knife into his shoulder. He let out a satisfying yelp, and he made Richie jump away. Chouchou and I stood in front of Bearetta, who was now blocking the door completely. Mohji didn't say anything, and instead threw a flaming torch (where did _that_ come from?) at the store. I reached up to grab it, but missed. It flew over my head, and onto the veranda above. Without my concentration on her, Bearetta disappeared with a pop. I flew up to the veranda, and tried to stop the flames from spreading. After what seemed like hours, the flames were out. I felt despair weigh me down to the ground as I looked around. I wasn't able to save all of it. The building was still standing, but it was really just charred remains. That's when I noticed that I was trembling, and that I felt tired.

"I must've pushed my spirit to its limits." I said to myself, floating out of what was left of the door. No more fighting for the time being. Chouchou was sitting in front of the house, howling at the remains. I sat on the ground next to her, and stared at them with hollow eyes. Suddenly, a presence appeared behind me that I didn't want to face. I lowered my head onto my knees, and tugged my hat farther down my head.

"…" We didn't say anything. Luffy set his hand on my head, and I could hear the flop of his sandals as he started to walk away.

"Lu-luffy?" I called after him, tears clogging my throat.

"…"

"Get him good!" I shouted. The sound of his sandals disappeared, and I was left with Chouchou. I started to cry then.

"I'm s-sorry I c-couldn't stop hi-him, Chouchou." I said. Chouchou stared at the remains, and then sniffed me. I looked up at her, and she barked slightly. I turned into human for a second, and she licked my face. _You did your best._ I reburied my head in my knees, and started crying again. Because I was a ghost, she lost most of her treasure. Because I was a ghost, she took that hit instead of me. I heard some yelling in the background, and sandals flopping against the ground. Luffy was back. I heard a plunk, and looked up slightly to see Luffy set a rumpled box of pet food in front of Chouchou.

"That's all I could save for you, girl." He said, picking me up and placing me in his lap as he sat next to Chouchou.

"The rest got eaten. But thanks to Aave here, your home didn't completely get burned." There was a smile in his voice, and I curled up against him, not saying anything.

"You two fought well!" He said. "I didn't get to see you in action, but I know you two did good!" I sniffled, and looked at Chouchou. She was staring at the box in front of her. She picked it up, and turned to go. After a few steps, she dropped the box, turned her head, and barked.

"WAN!"

"Thanks!" Luffy said. "Good luck to you too!"

"WAN! WAN!" Chouchou picked her box back up, and wandered away.

"You did good." Luffy said to me. "Don't think you didn't." I nodded, playing with my pocket watch. Would Roger think that I did good?

I heard the clacking of footsteps, and looked up to see Nami-baka walking up to us. She smiled brightly.

"Sorry I yelled at you earlier." She said.

"Huh?" Luffy looked at her in slight confusion, and shifted me so I was riding piggyback. I drooped over his shoulder, and halfheartedly dressed Bearetta up in black mourning clothes.

"That's ok." Luffy said, taking Bearetta and the previous clothes she had on, and changing them back. "I know you lost someone to pirates. I understand…not that I want to hear the details or anything." He handed Bearetta back to me. I grabbed for his hat, and let out a yelp when he tickled my side.

"I CAN'T STAND IT NO MORE!" Poodle Boodle shouted at the sky. "I CAN'T STAND ANYMORE OF THEIR CRUEL BULLYING! NOT AFTER THE WAY CHOUCHOU AND THESE TWO KIDS FOUGHT BACK SO BRAVELY!" He crouched down, trembling with anger.

"WHAT KIND OF A MAYOR STANDS BACK AND WATCHES HIS TOWN BE DESTROYED?!"

"Mayor!" Nami-baka pleaded. "Please calm down!" I hung on Luffy's neck, watching the proceedings with wide eyes.

"**SOMETIMES, A MAN'S GOTTA DO WHAT A MAN'S GOTTA DO!**" The Mayor shouted, and turned to Luffy. "**ISN'T THAT RIGHT, SONNY, LITTLE MISS?!**" I nodded, and Luffy grinned.

"That's right!" Luffy said. "You said it, old man!"

"DON'T ENCOURAGE HIM!" Nami-baka shouted at us. _Shark teeth…_

"FORTY YEARS OF HARD WORK!" Mayor Boodle shouted. He didn't look so much like a poodle anymore. "This place was a wilderness when we got here. 'We'll build our town right here!', 'We'll forget our old town that the pirates destroyed!'" The three of us listening to him stiffened. Pirates had destroyed their old town?

"At first, it was just a few homes." The Mayor smiled. "But slowly our numbers grew. We worked hard, cleared the land. Over time people came and opened up shops!" He spread his arms wide, and looked out at the main street with all of its houses.

"AND LOOK AT US NOW!" He shouted. "WE'RE A THRIVING PORT! WE OLD TIMERS BUILT THIS TOWN FROM NOTHING! IT'S **OUR** LIFE'S WORK! **THIS TOWN AND ITS PEOPLE ARE MY TREASURE! I'D BE A SORRY EXCUSE FOR A MAYOR IF I DIDN'T TRY TO PROTECT THE TOWN! ****_I'M GONNA FIGHT!_**"

"**_KABOOOOOM!_**" The houses on the other side of the street fell down like dominoes.

"IIYAAA!" I shouted as Luffy fell backwards onto me. He quickly got up and made sure that I was okay.

"NGH! MY HOUSE!" The Mayor shouted. "IT'S RUINED!" Realization struck both Luffy and I at the same time.

"HEY!" we shouted in panic. "ZORO WAS SLEEPING IN THERE!" I flew off of Luffy and streaked into the wreckage.

"ZORO! ZORO!" I called. "SON OF THE LEPRECHAUN KING!"

"HEY, ZORO!" Luffy shouted from the street. "ARE YOU ALIVE?"

"IIYAA!" I screamed as some wreckage moved, and Zoro sat up. I rushed back to Luffy and bowled him over.

"HE'S A ZOMBI!" I shouted.

"EEEEH?"

"Uuugh" Zoro groaned. "That's one heck of an alarm clock." I looked over my shoulder to see Zoro holding his head.

"Phew, false alarm." I said happily.

"He's alive!" Luffy cheered.

"How could anyone live through _that_?" Nami-baka wondered aloud.

"He's a monster." I answered, despite knowing that she would ignore me.

"…! THAT TEARS IT!" The MAyro shouted. I glomped Luffy from behind again, and hung on like a koala.

"Mayor!" Nami-baka exclaimed.

"I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!" He shouted, slamming the armor over his chest. "I WONT LOSE A SECOND TOWN TO THOSE SEA RATS! THESE PIRATES, SHOW UP, THINK THEY CAN DO AS THEY PLEASE…" he was pumping himself up to go do something incredibly stupid and brave, and I supported him.

"BUT I WONT LET 'EM WRECK FORTY YEARS OF HARD WORK!" He swung his spear over his head. "I'M THE **MAYOR**! I WON'T TAKE THIS SITTING DOWN!" He started to run off, but Nami-baka grabbed onto his arm to try and stop him.

"MAYOR! PLEASE WAIT!" She shouted, panicking.

"LET ME GO, GIRLY!" He shouted at her, straining against her hold.

"GETTING YOURSELF KILLED WONT ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING!" She shouted, conviction in her voice. "YOU'RE BEING RECKLESS!"The Mayor turned arouns suddenly, and we could all see the tears running down his cheeks.

"**_I _****KNOW****_ I'M BEING RECKLESS!_**" He yelled. In her surprise, Nami-baka let go of his arm, and he ran in the direction of the tavern.

"BUGGY THE CLOWN, PREPARE TO FACE THE MAYOR!" He shouted as he ran.

"The Mayor…" Nami-baka said, "he was crying."

"It didn't look that way to me." Luffy said.

"I didn't see anything!" I piped up from Luffy's back.

"Things are finally getting fun!" Zoro exclaimed happily. I grinned at the moustache that was still on his arm.

"Hahaha, yeah!" Luffy laughed. I made Bearetta do cartwheels in midair.

"This is no laughing matter!" Nami-baka shouted.

"I'm out for now." I said. Zoro and Luffy looked at me. "My spirit stuff is low. If I do anything more, I'll disappear for either days or years. The fire wiped me out." Luffy nodded, and Zoro snorted. I threw Bearetta at Zoro's head, and snickered as she hit her mark.

"YA IMP!" Zoro shouted.

"WHAT ABOUT THE MAYOR?!" Nami-baka shouted impatiently.

"Don't worry." Luffy said. "I like that old man. I won't let him get killed." He grinned determinedly.

"How can you just stand there laughing?" Nami-baka demanded. "What do you get out of this, anyway?"

"We're heading for the Grand Line." Luffy said. Suddenly, the atmosphere turned serious. "We'll steal that map back, and then we can go there together!" I inwardly groaned. He was inviting the person who ignored me onto the crew…oh well; at least she was going to be fun to prank.

"Join up with us!" Luffy said, holding out his hand for a handshake. "You want the map and all that treasure, right?"

"…I won't become a pirate…" Nami-baka said, and then slapped his hand. "Let's just say we'll 'join forces'…work together for a common goal."

"Does this mean that Nami-baka is going to stop ignoring me?" I asked Luffy. Nami grew shark teeth.

"I'M NOT A BAKA!" She shouted. I stuck my tongue out at her, and then burst into giggles as Luffy tickled my sides mercilessly.

"You're coming too?" Nami-baka asked Zoro as we started walking to the tavern. "What about your wounds?"

"They got better." Zoro answered nonchalantly.

"That's impossible!" Nami-baka yelled at him. Luffy and I looked back at them.

"I'm more worried about my reputation than my guts, right now." Zoro said, tying his black bandana around his head. "I've got a score to settle. Let's do it!" Luffy cracked his knuckles.

"I can't wait!" He said.

"Don't ruin your hat. I don't want it dead before I steal it!" I called from his back.

"I won't." Luffy said.

"You three are crazy!" Nami-baka said. I grinned into the back of Luffy's neck, and then put a crazy face on and looked back at her.

"Aand what makes you saaay thaaat~?" She squeeked, and hid a little behind Zoro. I laughed, and climbed onto Luffy's shoulders.

"ONWARDS!" I shouted, pointing forwards. I giggled as Luffy sped up, and I heard Zoro and Nami-baka speed up behind us as well. Soon, we were at the tavern, and saw Mayor Boodle being strangled by Buggy. Luffy picked me off of his shoulders, and placed me on the ground. He pried the hand off of Mayor Boodle's neck, and grinned up at Buggy.

"I'm back!" Luffy said, somehow making such a friendly tone seem slightly menacing. "I told you I'd clobber you!" He let go of Buggy's hand, and allowed it to return to its owner.

"I DON'T BELIEVE IT!" Buggy shouted. I cringed at his voice. Seriously? Decide on an age! "YOU TWO MUST ENJOY PAIN!" The hand snapped back onto Buggy's wrist. "BUT THIS TIME YOU WONT ESCAPE ME!"

"Have fun fighting, boys and ghost." Nami-baka said. "I'm just here for the map and treasure!"

"Whatever…" Zoro said. I looked up at her from my spot on the ground.

"I'm playing with Bearetta and Fairy Queen right now, not fighting." I corrected her. She looked down at my bear.

"There's only one bear…" She said.

"Fairy Queen is right in front of you." I said, pointing at Fairy Queen, who was making faces at Nami-baka. Nami-baka looked around, and then hit her fist onto her other palm.

"Ah, an imaginary friend." She said. I shook my head, but didn't say anything else.

"You young whippersnappers!" The Mayor coughed. I assumed he wasn't talking to me. I was waaaay older than him. "You're outsiders!..." He coughed. "Not your fight! This is _my_ battle!" He stood up and grabbed his spear. "IT'S _MY_ TOWN, AND _I'LL_ PROTECT IT! SO DON'T INTERFERE!" _THWAK!_ I didn't look up as I heard something smash into something else. I was too busy making new clothes for Bearetta with Fairy Queen.

"MAYOR?!" Nami-baka shouted. I looked up as the Mayor fell facedown next to me. I looked up at Luffy, who was dusting off his hands.

"WHO'S SIDE ARE YOU ON?!" Nami-baka shouted at Luffy. "WHY'D YOU DO THAT TO THE MAYOR?!"

"Aave." I looked at Luffy expectantly. "Watch him?" I nodded, and moved from sitting on the ground to sitting on the Mayor's back.

"He was in the way!" Luffy said in answer to Nami-baka's question.

"Good thinking." Zoro said. "He would've gotten himself killed. He'll be safer unconscious and guarded by someone who's already dead."

"YOU'RE TOO RECKLESS!" Nami-baka shouted, her teeth once again shark teeth. _I wonder if one of her parents is a shark…_ I wondered as I attached lace onto a poofy hat that Fairy queen had made.

"**HEY YOU!**" Luffy shouted at Buggy. "**BIG NOSE!**"

**And I'm ending it there! Don't expect this many updates on normal weekends please. It's only when I'm denying that I have homework that I update this many times…hehhehheh. **

**That being said, I will update regularly on weekends (or try to…)**

**Byebye for now!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Ureshiitamago: XD Been a while guys!**

**Aave: Yerp! Haahaahaaaaaa.**

**Ureshiitamago: Aave, do the thankies!**

**Aave: Heeere we go!**

**We would like to thank; don'ttellmewhattodo, L'ceil, PlutoAn, BlueFightingPanda, Jisca, StoriesUnleashed, RavenWhite'sFeatheredPen, acacia626, Artemisgt, code93, the-person-over-the-rainbow, AngelFallen666, , Spirit rune, The Fool Arcana, and almakarma18 for following/favoriting this story!**

**A special thanks to Quirky kit and scarlet rose white for reviewing!**

**Ureshiitamago: Awesome! Disclaimer; I don't own One Piece! Ialsogotover2,000viewsSQUEEEEEEE!**

_ "__YOU'RE TOO RECKLESS!" Nami-baka shouted, her teeth once again shark teeth. _I wonder if one of her parents is a shark…_ I wondered as I attached lace onto a poofy bonnet that Fairy queen had made. _

_ "__**HEY YOU!**__" Luffy shouted at Buggy. "__**BIG NOSE!**__"_

**Chapter 8: A Great Ghost**

I giggled as Buggy, his clowns, Nami-baka, and Zoro all gaped at Luffy in disbelief.

"That was funny!" I called out from my perch on top of the Mayor. I placed the bonnet on top of Bearetta's head as Luffy grinned at me.

"Thanks!"

"**_KILL HIM!_**" Buggy shouted in a rage. "**_GIVE 'IM THE BUGGY BALL!_**" I bit my bottom lip in concentration as I strung tiny bits of thread through boots for Bearetta while Fairy Queen knitted an apron.

"**_FIIIIIIRE!_**" Buggy shouted. I barely flinched as the cannon fired at Luffy. If he hadn't died from a cannonball once already, then he wouldn't die this time. Zoro and Nami-baka yelled in panic and dove out of the line of fire while Luffy just stood there, and took a deep breath.

"That measly cannonball's not going to work on me!" He said. "Gomu gomu no…BALLOON!" There was overall shock from the masses, excepting Zoro who just looked annoyed.

"WHAT THE HECK _IS_ THAT GUY?!" Buggy shouted.

"HE TOOK A DIRECT HIT FROM A BUGGY BALL!" The rest of the clowns shouted.

"**AND HE BOUNCED IT BAAACK!**" They screamed as the cannonball shot back towards them. I was amazed that none of them had tried to jump off the roof…oh, but then they'd die…humans were soooo weird…

"You could've at least told us what you were planning…" Zoro muttered. So _that's_ why he looked so annoyed…I attached the apron to Bearetta as the tavern exploded.

"That evens the odds a little!" Luffy said, holding his hat down to stop it from flying away in the resulting shockwave. "Let's get 'em!"

"…WHAT _ARE_ YOU?!" Nami-baka screamed at him. She had fallen to the ground in shock.

"Made me worried for nothing…" Zoro muttered again. I punched the air.

"WOOHOO! GO LUFFY, ZORO, AND NAMI-BAKA!" I shouted, dancing on the Mayor's back. "OOO AAAH OOO AAAH, HOO HAAH!" I made up a cheer routine on the spot, swinging my spindly arms in circles and hopping on one foot.

"What was that last bit?" Zoro asked me over his shoulder while Nami-baka scolded Luffy.

"Ooo aaah ooo aaah, hoo haah." I chirped, sitting back down and picking Bearetta up again. I proceeded to ignore him as he sighed and turned back to Luffy and Nami-baka. I muttered irritably as I heard shouts, but looked up when I heard a scream. It was Mohji, flying straight at Luffy. I scowled at him.

"Outta _my_ way, fuzzy." Luffy said before kicking the flying man into a wall. I smiled, cheered, and went back to pinning the dress to fit Bearetta.

"The battle begins!" I heard Luffy exclaim.

"Good luck!" I called out, not looking up from my pinning. There was a clang of sword on sword. I suspected that Zoro had started fighting. I hoped that he didn't make his injury worse…

No. Such. Luck. I had to fight myself from leaving the Mayor and interfering in Zoro's fight against an acrobat. Zoro had purposely cut his owie further open, and I could feel a sympathy ache in my own side the longer I stared at it. Luffy hadn't looked to happy as the acrobat had cheated either, but he didn't go rushing into the battle, so I tried to take his example.

"This is hard." I muttered to Margareta, who had taken the place of Fairy Queen to hold my back in case I tried to help. I had learned from the Sparrow Pirates that interfering in a battle between two swordsmen (or pirates) was a bad thing, and was something that I should never do. But it was so _hard_ when one of them was bleeding badly, and he happened to be your crewmate.

"Hooph!" Zoro let out a pained breath. "My goal is to be the world's greatest swordsman." He said, not a bit of pain in his voice.

"What are you talking about?" The acrobat asked, shaking a little from fear.

"**Is this enough of a handicap for you?**" Zoro asked, unsheathing his white sword and biting onto the handle. "**Now I'll show you some real swordplay!**" I let out a breath I didn't realize I had been holding. Luffy and I seemed to be on the same page, as we both shouted;

"WOW! ZORO'S SOO COOL!" The acrobat ignored us, staring at Zoro with trepidation.

"Hmph…So, Roronoa Zoro…you want to make a fool out of _me_?" The acrobat asked as he attempted (key word; attempted) to stare down Zoro. I was engrossed by the blood dripping off of Zoro's sword. His blood…_her _blood…too late, I realized that I was about to have a flashback.

"Margareta, catch me!" I managed to hiss out before I fell backwards off of the Mayor. The last thing I heard was the clashing of swords, and Luffy shouting;

"WOOHOO! GO ZORO!"

**Flashback**

_Hoshi-chan stood in front of me, the eye that was blue facing me. There was a grin on her face, but a grimace in her voice. _

_ "__Don't cry, Aave-yuuyuu!" She said, blood slowly dribbling from the corner of her mouth that I could see. Her half blue, half brown hair fluttered as she bent to pick up her blue and brown patchwork top hat. She carefully set her cane on her arm, and threw some confetti in the air._

_ "__I know that you want to be scared, and sad, but don't. I forbid it. Captain's orders." She turned to me, and I could see the arrow protruding from her chest. She crouched down so that she was level with my scared eyes. Her eyes, right one soft brown, left one a blue that made her look slightly crazy, twinkled at me reassuringly, but I didn't feel reassured in the least._

_ "__It's ok. That _bastard_" she spat the word with so much venom that it shocked me, "won't be back. Ever." She took off her brown arm long arm band, and wrapped it around my bleeding arm. My blood immediately stained it white, and Hoshi-chan ruffled my hair. Slowly, I could see her eyes, once so full of life and mischief, start to dim. _

_ "__Remember to stay pure, mia etulo*, and I hope you find the Nakama who will be able to make this place let you go…" She trailed off as she slumped forwards, and I realized with a pang that I could no longer feel her soul in her body. _

_ "__H-Hoshi-chan?" I asked, hesitantly brushing my fingers against her neck, hoping to find a pulse. There was none. "Hoshi-chan?" I asked, more alarmed. She was leaning against my shoulder, and in the background, I could hear the voices of her crew growing louder. Over her shoulder I could see the dead body of _him_. I sat on the ground with Hoshi-chan's body leaning on me. I stared at nothing, my brain trying to process what just happened. Then I screamed…_

**Flashback ends**

I gasped as I sat up, and looked around wildly. I was sitting on the ground, the Mayor in front of me. I moved from sitting to a crawling pose, and then scooted over to the Mayor, and peeked over his back.

"Oni…GIRI!" Zoro slashed through the acrobat, and blood spurted from the acrobat's chest. The acrobat fell as Buggy shouted his name.

"CABAJI!" Ah, so that was his name… "Ggh, HOW COULD THESE COMMON THIEVES HAVE BEATEN US?!" Buggy shouted. I tapped my fingers on the Mayors armor, and watched Zoro as he sheathed his swords.

"WE'RE THE BUGGY PIRATE GANG—THE SCOURGE OF THE SEAS! HOW COULD THINGS HAVE GONE THIS FAR?!" Cabaji fell to the ground, but he wasn't dead.

"We're not _common_ thieves.." Zoro huffed, sliding off his bandana, and then falling to the ground himself.

"We're _pirates_." He looked over to Luffy. "Luffy. I'm going to sleep now." Zoro informed him.

"Go ahead and sleep." Luffy said, swinging his arm in preparation for the battle. "I'll take it from here!" I gingerly sat on top of Mayor Boodle again, and looked over at Margareta.

"Could you lean him against a wall so he's out of the way?" I asked. "Preferably the one next to me, then I can draw on him." Margareta nodded with a smile, and pulled Zoro over to the wall next to me, where I promptly took out y pink marker and drew BAKA all over his face. He groaned and tried to swat my hand away, but I kicked him on the head, and then placed my hand over his owie, cooling it off. He sighed, and returned to snoring. I glanced over at Luffy, who was talking to Buggy about someone called red haired Shanks. Shanks. Shanks. Sounded familiar…

"…You know Shanks?" Luffy asked in a slightly disbelieving tone.

"Hmm." Buggy frowned. "You seem real interested…yes, I know him. What's it to you?"

"Where is he now?" Luffy demanded, looking serious. My gaze flicked back and forth between them. I was slightly unsettled from my flashback, and I felt my stomach twist unpleasantly as I realized that this was the same position that Hoshi-chan and _him_ were in.

"So you want to know where he is, eh?" Buggy said, stroking an imaginary beard. "Well, maybe I know…and then again, maybe I don't." I blew a quiet raspberry at him. _Ppphhhththh_.

"What are you talking about?" Luffy asked, looking at Buggy like he was crazy. "Are you an idiot?"

"WATCH YOUR TONGUE, BOY!" Buggy screeched.

"Luffy isn't a boy…" I muttered quietly. Margareta handed me my hat, and started to comb my hair. I made a cat face, but stayed focused on the conversation.

"We're mortal enemies…" I blanked, and looked around. Where did Nami-baka go?

"Margareta? Did you see where Nami-baka went?" I whisper-asked her. She pointed to a nearby house. "Thanks" I flew by Luffy, invisible.

"I'm going to make sure that Nami-baka doesn't get herself killed." I whispered in his ear. "Mayor should be fine with Zoro next to him." Luffy nodded imperceptibly, and I flew over to the house that Margareta had pointed to. I was about to go in, when I saw a flash of orange at the corner. I floated through both walls, and emerged to her right.

"Nami-baka." I whispered, tugging on her t-shirt sleeve. I caught a glimpse of something blue on her skin, and was about to tug up the sleeve farther to see what it was, when he hand clamped down on it, and she turned to look at me.

"What?" She hissed. I blinked at the rage hidden in her eyes.

"Aren't you supposed to be robbing Buggy blind?" I asked curiously. She was about to answer, when there was a large _KRASH!_, and our heads whipped around to see Luffy's feet protruding from some wreckage. We watched silently as Luffy exploded from the ruins, and plopped his hat back on his head.

"Darn." He said, sounding a little exasperated, "How am I supposed to whack you when you keep flying to pieces?" _Good question_ I thought.

"What a fight!" Nami-baka said shakingly. "It's like I'm seeing things."

"You aren't." I stated bluntly. She glared at me.

"Way to reassure me." She whisper-shouted. I shrugged, and started quietly singing as I watched the fight.

"_I wanna be the very best, like no one ever waaas…_"

"Bara bara no…HARPOON!" Buggy launched his hand (holding three daggers) at Luffy, who caught it, and tried to force it away from his face.

"_To catch them is my real test, to train them is my cau-_" I broke off as Buggy's hand detached at the wrist, and sliced Luffy's cheek and the brim of his hat. _Uh oh spaghetti-ohs._

"…" There was silence as Luffy sat up and stared at his hat for a moment before turning to glare murderously at Buggy.

"Damn you!" He growled through gritted teeth.

"Whattsa matter?" Buggy asked him mockingly. "Baby got a boo-boo?" My fists bunched at my sides as I stared at his hat.

"THAT DOES IT!" Luffy shouted. "YOU NICKED MY HAT!"

"So?" Buggy asked. I growled at his blatant disregard for treasures.

"**THIS IS MY TREASURE!**" Luffy shouted. He looked furious beyond belief. "**NOBODY DAMAGES THIS HAT!**" My hands involuntarily went to my own hat. Nami-baka watched with a surprised look on her face.

"I thought nothing fazed this guy…" She whispered to me before looking at my face, and her eyes widened in fear. I thought I knew why. Fury was coursing through me, and it wasn't the cold fury, no. It was the raging fire of fury. At this point, I was positive that I could've burned the whole city with my rage, but I restrained myself. This was Luffy's fight.

"It's that important to you, huh?" Buggy observed.

"THAT'S RIGHT!" Luffy shouted. Buggy grinned, and my raging fury turned into trepidation. I saw the floating hand, and warned Luffy.

"WATCH YOUR HAT!" I screamed, pulling Nami-baka back so we wouldn't be seen. Luffy turned to run from the daggers, but tripped on a piece of wood. I watched as the daggers, in what seemed like slow motion, stabbed through the strawhat and ripped it out of Luffy's hand before flying back to Buggy with its prize.

"GAHAHAHA!" Buggy laughed while holding up the daggers, upon which perched Luffy's treasure. I started to see red.

"I PROMISED TO RETURN THAT HAT TO SHANKS!" Luffy shouted as he ran at Buggy.

"What?" Buggy threw the hat on the ground. "This is Shanks's hat? I thought it looked familiar…" Buggy spat, and the spit landed on the hat. I could feel myself erupt into flames, and I grabbed the wall next to me to stop myself from interfering in Luffy's battle.

"Shanks and I worked on the same pirate ship a long time ago. We were both young…apprentice pirates, you might say." I bit down on my bottom lip to keep myself from going ballistic, and glanced over at Luffy. He seemed to be taking this worse than I did, though it _was_ his treasure that was being disfigured and disrespected.

"Shanks is a great man." Luffy said as he continued to run at Buggy. Luffy wound up his arm to punch. "Apprentice pirates…together?"

"BARA BARA NO…QUICK ESCAPE!" Buggy shouted as his head detached from the rest of his body and flew up into the air.

"**DON'T PUT YOURSELF ON THE SAME LEVEL AS HIM!**" The punch was a fake-out, and Luffy kicked Buggy hard in the stomach. Or was it the jewels…whichever it was, the face Buggy made did a lot to calm my anger. Buggy flew backwards, and landed on the ground a few feet away from where he had been standing.

"Darn you! You ruined my hat!" Luffy accused him, looking at his hat. Buggy groaned and started to cough. Luffy jumped onto Buggy's stomach, and started to rub the top of his strawhat on Buggy's mouth.

"And you spat on it!"

"YECH! STOP IT!" Buggy demanded.

"It's your own spit!" Luffy exclaimed, not stopping. He then set his hat aside, pinched Buggy's cheeks, and pulled hard.

"Don't ever mention Shanks and yourself…" he said, glaring at Buggy, "in the same sentence again!"

"Hmph! I don't know what your connection to Shanks is…" buggy said, looking mighty hilarious trying to talk with his cheeks stretched out. "But I'll say whatever I like about him!"

"Oh yeah?!" Luffy yelled.

"BARA BARA NO…"

"DON'T COME APART!" Luffy yelled, karate chopping Buggy on the forehead.

"Oh, no!" I heard Nami-baka say behind me. "I got caught up watching the fight! I have to steal the treasure and make my escape!" _She _does_ realize I'm right next to her…yes?_ She looked at me, and her brow furrowed.

"Come and help." She ordered. I nodded, and followed along like a puppy. Luffy had gotten enough revenge for the two of us, and I had a feeling that he wouldn't end up like Hoshi-chan did…

I shook my head to throw that thought out of my head. Thinking about it would only make the flashback return. What mattered now was making sure that Luffy got this woman on his crew, like he wanted. I didn't approve, and still thought that she wasn't to be trusted, but I wasn't on Luffy's crew (yet), so I didn't really have a say in the matter.

"Now to pick the lock…" Nami-baka said, rifling around in her shirt before pulling out some bobby pins, and inserting them in the lock to a small-ish shack.

"…you _do_ know that I can look in there, right?" I asked, not really paying attention to her answer as I flew through the wall to look inside. I emerged a second later and grinned widely at her.

"Lottsa shinies!" I exclaimed, holding out a few gold coins for her to see. She giggled delightedly, and finished picking the lock to let herself inside.

"This is great!" She said happily. "Buggy sure has an eye for treasure!" She started to heap the glittering piles of gold, jewels, crowns, and anything else that looked remotely expensive into a sack. I hovered behind her, playing with a bundle of rope I had found. It looked sturdy, and as I tugged it, it _felt_ sturdy. I giggled and tied a slip knot loop in it, and started to play cowgirl.

"Yeehaw!" I cried as I jumped around in the air, twirling the lasso over my head. "I got you, ya varmint!" I shouted as the loop settled over Nami-baka's shoulders. She looked at the rope that was holding her captive.

"…" She stared at the rope.

"…" I waited for her reaction.

"…Aah! I've been caught by the Sheriff of Nottingham!" She cried in fake distress. I grinned, and laughed as evilly as I could muster.

"DERAHAHAHAHA! Now you will be sentenced to the ultimate punishment for your crimes of…of…" I thought for a moment, my face scrunching in concentration. "illicit trafficking of gnome homes!" Nami-baka giggled before crying in fake fright.

"N-no! It wasn't mee! What is the punishment?!" She begged with me, and I blanked for a moment while I gathered all of my knowledge of evil kidnappers. It wasn't much.

"Um…I will…tie you to a post in the water and wait until the water rises with the tide so you drown!" I shouted, feeling accomplished that I had remembered something that 'Captain Hook' had done.

"Noo! Not the water punishment!" Nami squealed. I laughed evilly for a few more minutes, and we continued with the charade until I got tired of it and let her go.

"Mercy is a good thing!" I declared. She laughed, and swung the full sack of treasure over her shoulder.

"Why are you, a child, on his crew?" She asked me. I stopped as we neared the door to the shack.

"Geez, I'm not on his crew! I'm haunting his ship. There's a difference!" It might've been my imagination, but she looked somewhat relieved.

"Oh, ok." She said. "So you're _not_ the third member he was talking about?" I shook my head.

"No, I am." My answer only served to make her even more confused. I decided to clarify what I had said before.

"I'm not on his crew _yet_." I said, not looking at her face as I floated next to her, hands linked behind my back. I still had the rope. "Once he gives me no room to argue with him, _then_ I'll join his crew." She looked at me oddly.

"So, you _want_ to join a pirate crew?" She asked.

"…I want to find someone." Was all I said before starting to sing again.

"_I will travel all across the land, searching far and wiiide._"

Nami opened the door, and walked out. I followed her, still singing.

"_For each pokemon to understand the power that's insiiiide,POKEMON!"_ I shouted as Buggys torsoe flew at us. I yelled, and streaked over to Luffy, who was by the lower half of Buggy.

"I'LL SQUASH YOU!" Buggy shouted as he flew at Nami-baka. I stopped by Luffy, and looked at Buggy's lower half, which was just standing there.

"…" Luffy caught where my eyes were, and grinned. _WHUMP_!

"RIEHIEHIEHIE!" I laughed as Luffy kicked Buggy's jewels. Buggy's torso fell to the ground and twitched, as did his bottom half.

"C-CURSE YOU…MUGIWARA!" Buggy shouted, his voice even more high pitched than before. "YOU FIGHT DIRTY!...ATTACKING MY LOWER HALF!"

"Don't forget," Luffy said, planting his hands on his hips and grinning. "our fight's not over." I saw Nami-baka let out a relieved sigh.

"Hey!" Luffy shouted, pointing to her. "Drop the loot and get outta here! He'll keep coming after you!" I nodded in agreement, and eyed the large sack that Nami-baka had over her shoulder. It didn't look like she could run away too fast with it weighing her down.

"Leave the treasure?!" She shouted back. "Not a chance! I'm not gonna leave my treasure behind!"

"_Your_ treasure?" I heard Buggy grunt.

"THAT'S RIGHT! _MY _TREASURE! I'M A MASTER THIEF, AND I JUST STOLE IT!" She clenched her fist at Buggy. "MINE MINE MINE!" I sweatdropped.

"I'm a child…" I said, "and even _I_ think that's childish." Luffy nodded in agreement.

"THAT'S _MY_ TREASURE, FOOL!" Buggy shouted back. "IT'S NOT YOURS UNTIL YOU GET AWAY WITH IT!"

"He has a point!" I called to her.

"Thank you." Buggy said.

"…I don't want your thanks."

"…"

"The bad guy wants to lecture the bad guy, eh?" Nami-baka broke in, grinning at Buggy. "I don't argue with low life pirates!"

"What?" Buggy was on his hands and knees. (though his knees were by Luffy and I, and his hands were by Nami…I didn't get how that worked..)

"I'd never stoop so low as to take lessons from you!" Nami-baka stuck her tongue out at Buggy.

"She also has a point." I said amiably. Buggy turned to glare at me, and then turned back to Nami-baka.

"Then suffer the consequences!" He shouted. "Bara bara no…FESTIVAL!" Suddenly, he exploded into chopped up parts that started flying around everywhere. I didn't flinch as many flew through me, only to fall to the ground, blue. I looked at the rope I still held in my hand, and then at the pieces of Buggy that were now littering the ground.

"_Clean up, clean up, everybody everywhere, clean up, clean up, everybody do your share._" I sang as I tied the pieces of Buggy together, and then looked over to where Luffy was pulling one of Buggy's feet out of its shoe. I set the bundle behind some wreckage, and joined Luffy.

"Tickle it." I said with a giggle, leaning on his back to look over his shoulder.

"Koochie koochie." Luffy chuckled as he tickled the bottom of Buggy's foot. Obnoxious laughter came from across the road.

"How do you like _this_?" Luffy asked, smashing Buggy's toes onto the road. I giggled, and kicked my feet in the air, enjoying the faces that Buggy was making.

"You're a tough old clown, aren't you?" Luffy asked, pinching the skin on Buggy's ankle, and pulling. I decided that I liked this reaction the best.

"ENOUGH ALREADY!" Buggy shouted, growing shark teeth. "CUT IT OUT!" I giggled from Luffy's shoulder, and then tickled the top of Buggy's foot. While Buggy was laughing, and seemingly distracted, Nami-baka decided to do something stupid.

"THE ONE WHO'S GOING TO CUT IT OUT…" She shouted, swinging the treasure sack at him. "IS YOU!"

***Mia etulo means my little one. A nickname of sorts. :P if this is wrong, blame google translate. **


	9. Chapter 9

**Ureshiitamago: Here's an answer to a Guest review that I seem to have overlooked somehow. (Sorry!)**

** AC: ;) You'll find out!**

**Aave: Now, I want to do the thankies!**

**We would like to thank L'ceil, PlutoAn, BlueFightingPanda, lazymusicfreak, Randomreader1320, wanderer097, crazyslots, .is. , xxcarolxx, Unslaadtoorjun, meteor13, and DarknessPwnsLight for following/favoriting this story!**

**A special thanks to Utterly Fabulous Z, scarlet rose white, and Guest (AC) who reviewed!**

**Ureshiitamago: Yes, we love you guys!**

**Aave: *waves* Enjoy!**

**Ureshiitamago: I don't own any of the songs!**

_"__ENOUGH ALREADY!" Buggy shouted, growing shark teeth. "CUT IT OUT!" I giggled from Luffy's shoulder, and then tickled the top of Buggy's foot. While Buggy was laughing, and seemingly distracted, Nami-baka decided to do something stupid._

_"__THE ONE WHO'S GOING TO CUT IT OUT…" She shouted, swinging the treasure sack at him. "IS YOU!"_

**Chapter 9: Ghosties Toesies**

"NAMI-BAKA! WATCH OUT!" I yelled, pointing at Buggy's hand placement. He was holding the bag of treasure and grinning widely. I saw her gasp as Buggy floated slightly above the treasure bag.

"Thank you for returning my treasure." Buggy said. I quickly imagined an oval shaped rock into existence. "Poof" "Pop" I looked at Luffy, who nodded, and started to run at Buggy. I threw the rock with all of my strength.

"IT'S MY TREASURE!" Buggy shouted before being clouted in the head with my rock. He paused, and looked in my direction in time to see Luffy running at him.

"Hey! You're supposed to be fighting me!" With that, Luffy drew back his leg and gave Buggy a thundering kick in the face. "REMEMBER?!" I cheered, and threw around some pom-poms.

"GO GO LUFFY! L-U-F-F-Y!" Buggy flew backwards, still holding onto the treasure bag, and landed on the ground a few feet away, the treasure scattering around him.

"…Gotcha." Luffy said with a grin. "That was for the Mayor." Luffy wiped some blood off of his cheek. "And for Aave." I flushed, and threw a pom-pom at him.

"I don't need help, ya stupid!" I shouted with a pout. He laughed as the pom-pom hit him.

"Thanks for saving me." Nami-baka said, staring up at Luffy with awe and disbelief in her eyes.

"No problem!" Luffy said as he picked up the (pink) pom-pom and threw it back to me. I caught it and made it disappear along with the other one. "pop" "poof"

"Hey! The treasure map!" Luffy exclaimed as he looked at the treasure scattered all across the ground where the tavern used to be. Nami-baka gasped as she too noticed this.

"My treasure's scattered all over the place!" She shouted. I took a minute or two to search the scattered remains of Nami-baka's raid on Buggy's treasure shack for the map of the Grand Line. At last, I picked up a crown to place on my head, and noticed a rolled up piece of paper underneath it. I tossed the crown to the side, and unrolled the paper. I was staring at something that looked like shapes.

"I think I found it!" I called to Luffy. "I think I found the map to Paradise!" Luffy rushed over to me, grabbed the map, and held it up triumphantly.

"At last! It's the map of the Grand Line!" I giggled, and flew around him happily.

"Yay! Yay! Yay! Yay!" I cheered, pumping my fists in the air.

"Hey…" a foreboding voice murmured behind us. Luffy and I looked over our shoulders to see Buggy floating in mid-air. "…not so fast, Mugiwara boy!"

"Hmph." Luffy hmphed. "You still alive?"

"Hmph." I hmphed, crossing my arms. "You still in this world?" Buggy glared at Luffy and I.

"I'LL KILL YOU TWO!" He shouted angrily. "COME TOGETHER! BARA BARA NO…" I turned invisible, grabbed the parts of Buggy that I had tied up, and deposited them in front of Nami-baka, who blinked at them before grabbing the free end of the rope, and stepping on the parts with her heel. I flew back to Luffy.

"EEEEEH?" Buggy shouted, staring at his miniature body.

"Is _this_ what you're looking for?" Nami asked, putting pressure on the parts that she was stepping on.

"AAGH!" Buggy screamed. "MY BODY!"

"Hahahahaha!" Luffy laughed, his hands shooting behind him. "Good one, Master thief!"

"Hey! I helped too!" I pouted. Luffy grinned at me.

"Good job, Aave! Leave the rest to me!" I nodded, and flew over to his hat, picked it up, and plopped it down on my own hat.

"Good-bye, Buggy!" Luffy said, grinning widely. "Gomu gomu no…"

"WAIT!" Buggy tried to plead, but it was too late.

"BAZOOKA!" Buggy flew away, and the sky twinkled where he disappeared.

"I win!" Luffy cried as Nami-baka and I finished gathering up the treasure that had fallen out of the bag. Nami-baka tied it up, and walked over to where Luffy was standing. I flew beside her, and held Luffy's hat on my head carefully, not wanting to widen the tears.

"Now you'll join my crew, right?" He asked Nami-baka, holding his hand out to me. I stared at the hand, wondering what he wanted.

"For the time being." Nami-baka responded. "Looks like I'll make a fortune if I stick with you guys." Luffy raised an eyebrow at me, and I raised one back. What did he want?

"You have to hand it to Buggy—" Nami-baka said, hugging the treasure bag. "He had an eye for treasure! This is first-class booty! It's easily worth ten million berris!" Luffy pointed at my head with a small frown, and my eyes lit up with understanding. Quickly and carefully, I took his hat off my head and placed it in his waiting hands. All through this, Nami-baka kept on talking.

"Hey, all this treasure weighs a ton!" She said, paying no attention to Luffy, who was staring at the three holes in his hat. "I divided it in half. You carry half, ok?" I glared at her as I hovered over Luffy worriedly.

"…That hat means a lot to you, huh?" She observed.

"Yeah." Luffy said, plopping the hat on his head with a blinding smile. "It's not so bad, I guess. I can still wear it." He said with slightly forced cheer. "It sure felt good to clobber ol' Buggy!" I flew around him to look him in the eyes.

"Want me to wake up Zoro, mia kapitano?" He quirked an eyebrow at me from under the brim of his hat, and grinned.

"Sure! And what does mia cappuccino mean?"

"Mia _ka-pi-ta-no_!" I corrected him as I flew over to Zoro. _It means my captain…_ I added in my head. _But you don't need to know that yet_.

"…" I drew in a big breath as I faced Zoro. "ZOOOOROOO!" I screamed. Zoro's eyes shot open, and he sprang up from where he had been leaning against the wall, only to face-plant again. "Are you awake now?" I finished, kicking my legs in mid-air, and wearing a slightly psychotic grin on my face.

"&*^%!" He shouted at the ground. I giggled, and tickled his side. (Not the side where he had stabbed himself.) Zoro lifted up his head, and looked at Luffy, who was doubled over with laughter.

"Did you take care of things?" He asked. I pouted. He was impervious to tickles on the side. I would have to try the bottoms of his feet as soon as I was able. (And as soon as I caught him with his shoes off. Muhahahaha)

"Yeah, and I got the map and the treasure!" Luffy said.

"And a navigator/thief!" I added.

"Agh, it's no good…" Zoro said after an attempt to sit up. "I don't think I can _sit_ up, let alone stand. Thanks for that, ghost girl." I slapped the top of his head repeatedly.

"Shut up, son of the leprechaun king!"

"Of course you can't sit up." Nami-baka said. We all looked at her. "If you could, I wouldn't believe that either of you were human!"

"Don't lump me in with him." Luffy said.

"Either of you means two. You didn't count Zoro." I said.

"YOU'RE A GHOST!" Nami-baka shouted at me. "NOT HUMAN! AND YOU!" She turned her anger to Luffy. "YOU'RE EVEN LESS HUMAN THAN HE IS!" She pointed at Zoro to try and prove her point.

"Luffy, am I human?" I asked him. Luffy nodded.

"You are. We should wake up the Mayor." He said. I grinned hugely, and flew over to the Mayor to wake him up, but halfway there, I was stopped by a voice.

"Hey, you guys." I looked over my shoulder to see a bunch of people wielding cooking knives, pitchforks, baseball bats, and guns. "We're citizens of this town. Did the pirates mutiny or something? Come on, talk!" I flew back over to Luffy, and collapsed onto his back. He automatically grabbed my legs to hold me on, and I leaned against his shoulder to stare at the townsfolk.

"The townspeople?" Nami-baka said with a relieved laugh. "That's a relief! I thought you'd be more pirates!" She held up a forefinger, and nodded. "We'll tell you what happened, but it's a long story…" She was cut off as one of them noticed Mayor Boodle still lying unconscious on the ground.

"HEY! IT'S THE MAYOR!"

"MAYOR! ARE YOU HURT?"

"What happened here?"

"IT WAS THOSE LOUSY PIRATES!"

"No it wasn't." Luffy and I said. "I/he knocked the old man out." I pointed to Luffy's cheek for emphasis, and kicked my legs idly. The glares the villagers sent us were almost as deadly as the most poisonous poison in the world.

"Luffy! Aave! They didn't have to know that!"

"Well, you and Aave saw me, right?"

"Yup!" I piped up.

"True! But I wasn't going to tell them!" Nami-baka shouted at us. I stuck my tongue out at her, and plugged my ears to shut her out. I watched the angry villagers mouths move, and unplugged my ears in time to hear their last question.

"WHO ARE YOU? PIRATES?" I giggled at that, and tugged Luffy's hair.

"We're pirates." Luffy responded. I laughed heartily along with Zoro.

"YOU IDIOT!" Nami-baka screamed at Luffy.

"We _are_ pirates!" Luffy protested. I flew off of Luffy's back, and quickly, Luffy swept up Zoro and the treasure bag.

"RUN!" He shouted, and Nami-baka complied with a yelp.

"DON'T LET 'EM GO!"

"THEY'LL PAY FOR ATTACKING THE MAYOR!"

"Why do you always have to complicate things?" Nami-baka asked Luffy as they ran. I giggled uncontrollably at the situation.

"These are good people!" Luffy said. I nodded in agreement.

"Great people!" I said, spreading out my hands and popping Bearetta into existence. "Awesome people!"

"They're all worked up because they love their Mayor!" Luffy started to laugh with me. "It wouldn't matter what we told them!"

"Turn here hobbitsis!" I shouted, making a quick turn in the air to fly down an alleyway. They turned with me, and I laughed as I flew over Chouchou.

"Hey Chouchou!" I said. Chouchou responded with a light hearted bark. Nami-baka and Luffy jumped over her, and continued running. Finally, after the voices behind us had faded to nothing, we slowed down to a walk. (And a float.) I floated beside Luffy and Zoro as we walked (floated) towards the docks.

"Phew!" Nami-baka said, grinning at Luffy. "That was too close! Chouchou really saved our necks! Why are we in this mess anyway?" I flew over to our small boat, and started to untie the ropes holding it to the dock.

"_Kookaburra sits in an old plum tree…_" I sang as I worked, keeping one ear on the conversation that the two of them were having.

"It's ok. We did what we needed to, right?" Luffy said.

"_Merry merry king of the bush is he…_"

"I guess so…" Nami-baka said uncertainly.

"Hey, is that your ship?" Luffy asked Nami-baka. I looked to the side, where I saw a boat that looked like a tinier version of the circus ship I had seen while I was being dragged across the sky.

"_Laugh, Kookaburra laugh, Kookaburra gay your life must be._" I finished the song for a bit.

"I've seen better." Nami=baka was saying. "I stole it from some stupid pirates." I noticed some commotion on the boat next to ours.

"WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU, GIRL!" Someone shouted. Three clowns jumped off of the ship onto the shore, and walked over to where Luffy, Nami-baka, and Zoro were. I glanced at Bearetta, who was sitting innocently on the figurehead of our boat. "pop" I picked her up, and aimed.

"We knew you'd come back to the ship!" Larry said.

"Har har har har. Imagine our surprise, finding our stolen ship docked here." Curly added, giving Nami-baka a thumbs down. _Almost…_I thought, lining up Bearetta with Moe's head.

"You haven't forgotten about us, have you?" Moe said, right before Bearetta hit him on the head.

"OOOUUUCH!" Moe yelled, falling to the ground and holding his head. Curly and Larry looked at him, then Bearetta behind him, and then me.

"Did you do this?" Larry demanded. I stuck my tongue out at him, and blew a raspberry. *ppphhhhthhh* Curly held Larry back when he lunged for me.

"A kid isn't worth it!" Curly exclaimed. I floated off of the boat, and a little ways away from the other ship, and then insulted Curly.

"Your mother was a hamster, and your father smelt of elderberries!" I shouted. "You foul loathsome evil little cockroach!" That did it. They yelled, and ran at me, and then through me. I flew back over to Luffy and the others as Curly and Larry shivered on the ground.

"Are we leaving?" I asked them pleasantly. Luffy grinned at me.

"Yep! Let's go!" He said. Both him and Zoro stepped onto our boat, while Nami-baka threw her treasure onto her boat, and then walked over to the two shivering men on the ground. I didn't hear what she said to them, but the two of them paled even further (If that was possible), picked up their friend, jumped into the ocean, and swam away as fast as they could.

"What did you say?" Luffy asked her as he dropped Zoro into the ship and untied the rope anchoring us to the docks. Nami-baka grinned.

"I described to them in great detail what might happen if the angry villagers found them." She laughed. I flipped in the air a few times, and then returned to my spot on the mast as we cast off. We didn't get far before we heard the Mayor's voice.

"HEY KIDS, WAIT!" We all looked to shore to see the Mayor running at the dock full tilt. He no longer had his armor on, and instead was wearing a plaid shirt and shorts. "I HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY TO YOU!" He sounded a little angry.

"..." we waited as he caught his breath. When he finally looked up at us, I wasn't surprised to see tears streaming down his face.

"THANK YOU!" He shouted with a sob. "I WON'T FORGET IT!" I traded a look with Luffy, and we grinned at each other.

"YOU'RE WELCOME, MAYOR!" Luffy shouted.

"TAKE IT EASY!" I yelled. "GHOST'S ORDERS!" There was some laughter from across the water at that.

"_Everybody needs someone to show them what is possible…"_ I sang quietly, watching the land grow farther and farther away.

"_Everybody needs someone to go as far as she can see…_" I looked down at our boat and Nami-baka's boat.

"_I need to stand up on the shoulders of giants…_" I giggled and combed Margareta's hair as Nami tried to drown Luffy for leaving half of the treasure she stole at the island.

"_I need a woman who's as big as me._" Hoshi-chan had taught me that song. She was one of the first female pirate captains in history, and was a great friend of mine after Roger had left. She said that she had been taught it by a mad man in a box. I still didn't know what she meant by that, but it sounded adventuristic.

"THAT WAS _MY_ TREASURE, AND YOU GAVE IT AWAY!" Nami-baka screamed, snapping me out of my memory. I stuck my tongue out at her, and finished combing Margareta's hair.

"TAKE IT EASY!" Luffy begged her. "IF YOU REALLY WANT IT, LET'S GO BACK AND GET IT!" Nami-baka was trying to shove him into the water.

"IT'S TOO LATE!" She shouted. "IF YOU EVER DO ANYTHING LIKE THAT AGAIN, I'LL KILL YOU!"

"You're trying to kill him now though." I observed from just behind her right shoulder. She screamed, and sat down. I turned to Zoro.

"When are you going to notice?" I asked, giggling, and making Bearetta giggle as well. Zoro quirked an eyebrow at me.

"Notice what?" He asked. I just giggled, and adjusted Bearetta's hat. Nami-baka looked at him, and then did a double take, and started to laugh. Luffy peered at Zoro, and then laughed so hard he was rolling around on the bottom of the boat.

"WHAT?" Zoro shouted angrily.

"L-look in the wa-wa-water!" Gasped Nami-baka. Zoro looked, and then stood up fast with his katanas unsheathed.

"I'M GONNA KILL YOU, AAVE!" He shouted, his eyes narrowing into slits, and his teeth turning into shark teeth. I squealed in fright, turned invisible, and then hid behind Nami-baka.

"Don't kill me!" I shouted. There was a pause, and then both Nami-baka and Zoro shouted at once.

"You're already _dead_!" Nami-baka shouted, trying to see where I was.

"I CAN'T KILL YOU IF YOU'RE DEAD!" Zoro shouted, trying to see where I was so he could attempt to kill me for a second time.

"Whatever." I said, turning visible and sticking my tongue out at him. I floated over to Luffy, who handed his mauled hat to Nami-baka. She whipped out a needle and thread and started working while Luffy and I played acchi muite hoi*

"Rock, paper, scissors!" I hung my head as I lost. Luffy grinned, and held his forefinger in front of my face.

"Acchi muite…" We had a small stare down, "hoi!" I looked up as his finger pointed to my left. I cheered, and did a little dance. We repeated this action several hundred times before Zoro yelled at us to shut up and do something else. We called him a spoil sport and played patty-cake instead. That game was ruined when Nami-baka held up Luffy's hat and declared it fixed. Luffy and I cheered, and rushed over to the hat.

"YOU FIXED IT!" Luffy yelled, standing on the figurehead and punching the air with one fist.

"YOU'RE NOT AS STUPID AS YOU SEEM, NAMI-BAKA!" I shouted, throwing daisies and roses into the air around her. She glared at me.

"WAS THAT AN INSULT, SQUIRT?!" I nodded, and she sighed, turning to Luffy.

"It's a temporary fix." She said. "I just sewed up the holes. It'll be fine if you aren't too rough with it."

"Wow, it looks good as new." I said, admiring her job.

"Thanks!" Luffy said to her while poking the top of the hat. "That hat was so full of holes, and now you can't even tell!"

"Luffy, maybe you should stop poking it…" I said, trying to be the voice of reason. He wasn't listening though.

"It's all-" He broke off and stared bug eyed at the hole he had just made in his hat.

"YOU DON'T LISTEN!" Nami-baka yelled, jabbing Luffy between the eyes with her needle.

"YEEEOOOW!" Luffy cried. "YOU JABBED ME WITH THE NEEDLE!"

"THAT'S THE ONLY WAY I CAN HURT YOU!" Nami-baka yelled back.

"Hmmm...you're right." Luffy agreed.

"I'm being ignored...am I still invisible?" I wondered.

"Naw, I can see you." Luffy said.

"Really?" I asked.

"Yup."

"Huh."

"Cut the racket." Zoro complained. "I can't sleep. And I'm starving." He turned to look at Nami-baka, who was back in her own boat again.

"Hey, share some of your rations with us."

"_Food food food food, food food food food, ate last niiiight, at the night befoooore, gonna eat tonight like I never ate befooore, cause when I eat I'm as happy as can beeeeeeeee. 'Cause I'm a member of the E-A-T!"_ I sang.

"You can't eat." Nami-baka reminded me. I stuck my tongue out at her.

"Anyway," she went on, "what's wrong with you guys?" She asked Zoro and Luffy. "Don't you know anything about seamanship? You don't even have any food or water! You have to respect the sea!"

"Hey! I see something!" Luffy said, completely ignoring her. I joined him, because what he was doing seemed more fun.

"Ooh, I see it too!"

"Do you know what it is?"

"An island...maybe?" I peered closer at the dot. "Yeah, an Island. Probably full of mutant creatures and Gods galore!" I brandished an imaginary sword at an imaginary foe.

"Aave and I found an island!" Luffy called to Nami-baka and Zoro.

"Forget it." Nami-baka said after looking at it through binoculars for a moment. "It looks…" the rest of what she said sailed away in the wind as Luffy steered our boat in the direction of the island.

"COME BACK!" I heard Nami-baka scream.

"_We're going on an adventuuure, I wonder what's in store!_" I sang happily. "_We're packing up our bags, and we're heading out the door!_"

"Maybe there's someone there who will join my crew!" Luffy said excitedly.

"Maybe you can find some food. But Nami's right. We're not prepared." Zoro added.

***Acchi muite hoi is a japanese game, where when one person wins in a rock paper scissors game, they get to try and fake someone into looking in the same direction their finger is pointing. (If you didn't understand that terrible explanation, look it up. :))**

**Sorry if this is a bit short, but I plan on having one chapter for Trial of the Forest, and I'll probably get it up by tomorrow. **


	10. Chapter 10

**ureshiitamago: Hey, ya'll! This one is going to be relatively short as well (Short meaning around 3000 or so words), mainly 'cause it's a filler, and I'm trying out a new laptop.**

**Aave: What's a laptop?**

**ureshiitamago: Nothing you need to concern yourself with yet.**

**Aave: Oh, ok. Here are the thankies!**

**We would like to thank; Mr. 0-San and balrock for following and favoriting!**

**A special thanks to Mr. 0-San, Guest(AC), and The Utterly Fabulous Z for reviewing!**

**ureshiitamago: AC: Thanks ;) and you're welcome!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece!**

_"_We're going on an adventuuure, I wonder what's in store!_" I sang happily. "_We're packing up our bags, and we're heading out the door!_"_

_"__Maybe there's someone there who will join my crew!" Luffy said excitedly._

_"__Maybe you can find some food. But Nami's right. We're not prepared." Zoro added._

**Chapter 10: Woo hoo! Bushy haired Ghosties!**

"We've found a deserted island!" Luffy shouted happily from his perch on the figurehead. "Looks like there's nothing here but trees!"

"I wonder if there's dessert here…" I said thoughtfully. "Pecan pie with vanilla ice cream would be nice…"

"That's not what 'deserted' means…" Nami-baka said with a sweatdrop. "And anyway," she turned to Luffy, "I told you it was uninhabited. You won't find anyone to join your crew here."

"Zoro!" Luffy called back to our boat. "Get over here!" He turned back to Nami-baka for a moment. "Aave's island looked uninhabited except for the pirates, and _she_ joined my crew!"

"I'm haunting your boat." I said in a monotone. "There's a difference." Luffy shrugged, and turned back to the boat to see Zoro still sleeping.

"He's asleep." Luffy said, and then started to walk over to the boat, presumably to wake Zoro up. Nami-baka grabbed the collar of Luffy's shirt, and said;

"Let him rest. He's still recovering from his injuries." Luffy did a quick 180.

"Good thinking." He said, walking off to the forest. "Okay, let's go!"

"Aye aye mia kapitano!" I flew after him, and dove for his hat. He ducked, and leaned on a tree.

"Go where?" Nami-baka asked, watching our antics with a raised eyebrow.

"Maybe there are people living deep in this forest!" Luffy said, ducking another of my attempts, and sticking his tongue out at me.

"People, no." Nami-baka said irritably. "Hungry monsters, maybe."

"Hey, remember what I said about mutants and gods?'" I asked Luffy.

"Yeah." He said. I tugged on his arm, and pointed to our right. Some kind of a cross between a rooster and a fox ambled out of the tree line.

"You're psychic." Luffy said.

"I'm not psychic" I denied.

"What _is_ that?" Nami-baka wondered.

"It's a rooster-fox." I said, as if the answer was obvious.

"Hey look!" Luffy held up what looked like a cross between a rabbit and a snake. "It's some kind of weird rabbit!" I giggled and played with the rabbit ears.

"Yeah, weird is right!" Nami-baka said, holding her head as if trying to wake herself up from a very bad dream.

"Hey!" I said, pointing to the side. "A lion-pig!" I pointed up to a tree. "And a monkey-bat! I'm going to name that one Momo!"

"It looks more like a pig than a lion…" Nami-baka commented. "And that looks more like a monkey than a bat. Why Momo?" I shrugged at her question.

"It just fits. Here, Momo!" I held out an arm. "pop" The newly named Momo jumped onto my arm and handed Luffy a peach.

"It definitely fits!" Luffy said with a laugh.

"There's something odd about this forest…" Nami-baka said. I looked at her with overly wide eyes.

"Really? For true?" I asked eagerly. "More odd than a rubber man and a ghost?" That gave her pause. She opened her mouth to respond, but was cut off by a mysterious voice. I loved mysterious voices! They were so…mysterious.

"Do not come any further!" The voice said. Momo jumped off of my arm and back into the trees and disappeared.

"WHO SAID THAT?!" Nami-baka shouted. "WHO ARE YOU?!"

"I…" There was a dramatic pause, "am the guardian of the forest!"

"Like a God?" Luffy asked the voice.

"Um…yes." The voice answered. Nami-baka and Luffy both looked at me.

"I'm not psychic!" I said to them, crossing my arms and pouting. "You were saying?" I prompted the guardian of the forest.

"Ah, yes." The guardian of the forest started to shout. "If you value your lives, you will leave this place now!"

"…" we didn't say anything.

"Are you pirates?" The voice asked us uncertainly.

"That's right." Luffy confirmed.

"Yup." I said, kicking my feet in the air.

"Why would he ask us that?" Nami-baka wondered out loud.

"Maybe he's stupid." I suggested.

"Ah, so you _are_ pirates!" The voice exclaimed. "Don't you dare take another step into this forest! If you do, you must face the trial of the forest! Will you risk having your bodies dismembered."

"Like this?" I asked, taking my head off of my shoulders and juggling it. Luffy laughed, and Nami-baka screamed.

"AAAAAH!" The voice screamed, "SHE'S NOT HUMAN!"

"_Nooo_, I'm a half-pint bean-sprout midget." I said, rolling my eyes in the most sarcastic manner I could.

"Who cares about the trial of the forest?" Luffy asked the voice. "Why would you ask me that?"

"What is he talking about?" Nami-baka asked.

"I think something's wrong with him." Luffy commented, looking around for the source of the voice.

"Maybe he's stupid." I suggested again, doing cartwheels in the air, and grabbing for Luffy's hat every chance I could.

"What did you say, Mugiwara fool and ghost girl?" The voice asked ominously.

"Where are you?" Nami-baka asked, punching the air and looking around. "Show yourself!" Luffy started to walk to a section of forest.

"I think he's over there…" He said.

"I warned you not to come any closer!" The voice said. I heard the clacking of a gun behind Luffy and I. "Now you must face the trial of the forest!" I squeaked as I felt a bullet fly through me, and then gasped involuntarily as I saw it enter Luffy's back. Luffy grunted, and I caught his hat as it flew off his head. I grumbled as the bullet flew through me again after Luffy deflected it.

"…HUH?!" the voice shouted.

"Th-that really scared me!" Nami-baka said. "Was that a gun?" I handed Luffy his hat back, and he placed it back on his head.

"Wow!" Nami-baka said. "Even bullets can't hurt you!"

"No," Luffy admitted, "but they scare me, too, so I don't like being shot."

"I don't either." I said. "It feels like a weird ripple in water, but in my body." Nami-baka wrinkled her nose.

"That doesn't sound too pleasant." She agreed.

"What…what _are_ you two?" The voice demanded shakily.

"What are _you_?" retorted Luffy. He walked across the clearing we were in and looked through the trees. "The bullet came from here." He said. I looked over his head, and saw a smoking gun lying in front of a suspicious looking bush in a box.

"Look!" Nami-baka said, pointing out the gun. "There's a pistol on the ground!"

"What's this?" Luffy asked, walking up to the bush in a box.

"Looks suspicious." Nami-baka said, also walking up to the bush in a box.

"Hello." I greeted the bush in a box. "Do you know where our god went?"

"HEY! IT'S MOVING!" Nami-baka shouted. Indeed, the bush in a box had sprouted legs and was running in the direction opposite of us. I flew after it, and stuck a foot out in front of its feet. _Whump_. The bush in a box bush-planted on the ground.

"HEY! HELP ME UP!" The bush shouted into the ground. Nami-baka looked at the feet.

"It's a person." She said with a sweatdrop.

"HELP ME UP, I SAID" The bush turned person demanded.

"He tripped himself, and now he's acting indignant…" Nami-baka observed.

"_I_ was the one who tripped him!" I said proudly.

"Don't be so proud about that…" Nami-baka said.

"He looks like a shrub!" Luffy said with a laugh.

"Let's _not_ help him up." I said. When Luffy and Nami-baka looked at me, I decided to explain what I meant. "First, we must find another shrubbery. Then, when we have found the shrubbery, we must place it here, beside _this_ shrubbery," (Here, the guardian of the forest protested) "only slightly higher so you get a two layer effect with a little path running down the middle." I looked at their faces to make sure that they were following what I was saying. "Then, we must cut down the mightiest tree in the forest, with…a herring!"* I finished gleefully. Luffy shook his head.

"Too much work. We'll just help him up." He said. I pouted.

(lol, line break 'cause I'm lazy)

"The fruit of the Gomu gomu tree, a Devil's Fruit,eh?" Shrubbery-man said. "I've heard the tales. But this is the first time I've ever met someone who's eaten the fruit." I stared at his unibrow in amazement.

"It's all connected!" I said.

"This is the first time I've ever seen a guy stuck in a treasure chest." Luffy said, sitting opposite the shrubbery-man. "Are you a 'boxer'?"

"Unibrow…"

"Well, when I was younger…HEY, THAT WAS A STUPID PUN!" The shrubbery-man shouted.

"I'M STUCK AND I CAN'T GET OUT!" He shouted. "I'VE BEEN ALONE ON THIS ISLAND FOR 20 YEARS! YOU CAN'T IMAGINE HOW MISERABLE I'VE BEEN!"

"Unibrow…"

"20 years?" Nami-baka gasped. "You've been all alone for 20 years?"

"That's right…20 years." The shrub agreed.

"You must be stupid." Luffy said bluntly.

"I'LL MURDER YA!" The shrub screamed at him.

"Unibrow…"

"20 years…" Shrub said with a sigh. "It's been a long time…That's why my hair and beard are this long." He glared at me. "And I used to have _two_ eyebrows!" He growled.

"Highly unlikely." I muttered, still staring at the unibrow.

"I haven't had a conversation with another person in all that time." I frowned, somewhat feeling for him. I had been like that too, except for on a larger scale. I was snapped out of my reverie when the shrub gave a great shout of pain.

"OW! OUCH! WHAT'RE YOU DOING?!" I giggled at Luffy, who was attempting to pull shrub out of his box.

"You're stuck." Luffy remarked, gritting his teeth and pulling harder.

"CUT IT OUT!" Shrub shouted. "YOU'LL BREAK MY NECK!" At that threat, Luffy stopped trying to detach shrub's head from his body.

"DON'T BE RECKLESS!" The shrub scolded him. "I HAVEN'T HAD ANY EXERCISE FOR ALL THESE YEARS…BY NOW, MY BODY'S GROWN INTO THE SHAPE OF THIS BOX!" He took in a deep breath, and calmed down considerably now that Luffy wasn't trying to decapitate him. "I can't get out, and if you break the chest, you'll break me with it."

"But," Nami-baka said, drawing his attention to her. "how did you get there in the first place?" I wrinkled my nose, sensing an impending rant about someone's past, and started to play cat's cradle with Fairy Queen.

"You said you were pirates?" Shrub asked Luffy.

"That's right!" Luffy confirmed. "So far I only have a crew of four."

"I'm haunting your ship, there's a difference." I corrected automatically.

"Well, I used to be a pirate too." Shrub said.

"Really?" Luffy asked, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

"It was great! Risking my life in pursuit of treasure!" Shrub said enthusiastically.

"It's fun, huh?" Luffy said.

"_Fun fun fun fun, the most wonderful thing about Tiggers is that I'm the only one!_" I sang as I tried to figure out how to handle a new string hold in the game that Fairy Queen and I were playing.

"What's wrong with her?" Shrub asked Nami-baka, looking at me with trepidation.

"Nothing, ignore her." Nami-baka said.

"You got a treasure map?" Shrub asked Luffy.

"I've got a map of the Grand Line." Luffy said. "I'm going after the One Piece!" Shrub started to sweat.

"WHAT? THE ONE PIECE?!" Shrub yelled. "YOU'RE NOT SERIOUSLY THINKING ABOUT ENTERING THE GRAND LINE!?"

"So…" Shrub went on, looking at the map that Luffy was holding out. "Where is this Grand Line?"

"I don't know." Luffy said. "Can you tell me where it is, Mr. Shrub?" Shrub broke out laughing.

"I can't read maps!" He said.

"You can't?" Luffy laughed.

"How can they call themselves pirates?" Nami-baka said from next to me.

"I can't read maps either!" I chirped, finally figuring out the string hold.

"Ok, look." Nami-baka held out a map. I made a face. She was going to _teach_ something. Yuck. I tuned her out until they got to a more interesting topic, choosing instead to stare at a pair of yellow eyes that were peering at me from the treetops. It didn't look like Momo. Finally, after much persuading from Fairy Queen and me, it emerged from the tree. It looked to be a cross between a shiba inu and a humming bird. It was about the size of my hand, and its wings were a beautiful turquoise.

"I dub thee, Gwaine!" I said. I looked over to the others, who seemed to be having a serious conversation about the dangers of Grand Line.

"C'mon Gwaine." I said, floating over to where the others were. "Let's show you to Luffy." Gwaine let out a sound like a cross between a bark and a buzz, and followed me through the air.

"…understand?" Shrub was saying to Luffy. "The search for the One Piece is a fools dream."

"Maybe so," Luffy said with a laugh, "but I think we'll find it!"

"Give up!" Nami-baka said with a smile. "There's plenty of other treasure to be had. Why get ourselves killed?"

"We'll find it!" Luffy said, his grin widening. "I'm very lucky!"

"I think you will too." I said, floating down to sit in Luffy's lap. He petted my head, and I started purring. Nami-baka sat down next to us.

"Fine…" she relented, "but I don't know where your confidence comes from."

"I'LL TELL YOU WHY I HAVEN'T LEFT THIS ISLAND!" Shrub suddenly yelled, causing me and Gwaine to yelp. Luffy grabbed me, and stood up, still holding me.

"What, Mr. Shrub man?" Luffy asked.

"Hope." Shrub said, staring off into the distance. "I still have hope."

"About what?" Luffy asked. I groaned as Shrub started his backstory. I really hated those. I exchanged a bored glance with Gwaine, who was fluttering by my head. He licked my nose, and I started to play with him. I would throw a tiny stick, and he would fetch it and bring it back.

Apparently, Shrub had been trying to find treasure on this island, but once he thought he had it, he fell into a chest, and got stuck, and then his nakama left him behind. Such nice nakama…

"And nobody's been here for 20 years?" Luffy asked, tickling my sides to make me pay attention. Shrub ignored my giggling, and hefted his pistol.

"No, lots of people come. Mostly pirates, looking for treasure, but I scared them all off with my trial of the forest bit." Shrub said. I fiddled with the brim of my hat as I listened.

"All that treasure I saw up on the cliff…I just couldn't bring myself to part with it!" Shrub let out a sob. "IF ONLY I WEREN'T STUCK IN THIS CHEST!" He shouted angrily. "ALL THIS TIME, I'VE PROTECTED THAT TREASURE! IT'S MINE! ALL MINE!"

"You're absolutely right." Luffy agreed. I craned my neck around to see him nodding. "It's rightfully yours."

"GAIMON!" Nami-baka shouted. I assumed that that was Shrub's name. "I'LL GO UP THERE AND GET THAT TREASURE FOR YOU!"

"Really?" Gaimon-not-Shrub said. "That would be great! I'm glad I told you my story."

"But you're a pirate and a thief." Luffy pointed out.

"And a baka." I added.

"SHUT UP!" Nami-baka shouted. "I'M A THIEF, BUT I'M NOT HEARTLESS! AND I'M NOT A BAKA!"

**(line break because I have writers block for this chapter!)**

"Wow. Tall rock." I said, floating above their heads.

"Here we are." Gaimon said. "This is it! It's been a while since I came here."

"Why didn't you tell anyone else your story?" Luffy asked Gaimon. "Like you told us."

"I never trusted anybody." Gaimon explained. "Besides, none of the others ever tried to talk to me."

"FINALLY!" Gaimon suddenly shouted. "TODAY IS THE DAY!"

"Luffy, Aave." Nami-baka said, clapping a hand onto Luffy's shoulder. "Do your stuff."

"You want _us_ to do it?" Luffy and I asked her.

"Well, I can't climb _that_!" Nami-baka said, pointing at the sheer cliff in front of us.

"I'm counting on you two!" Gaimon said. I sighed, and flew upwards with Gwaine. We set down up top and waited for Luffy, who catapulted into us. We laughed for a minute about that, and then looked in the treasure chests…nothing. Not even a gold coin. Luffy and I looked at each other and frowned. Luffy picked up a chest, and walked over to the edge.

"I see them!" He called down. "Five treasure chests!" I put one of the empty chests upside down on my head and pretended to be the dreaded treasure eating monster.

"…EM DOWN HERE…ON'T DROP THEM ON US!" Gaimon's voice was patchy from inside the treasure chest.

"Forget it!" I heard Luffy say. I took the chest off my head, not in the mood to play.

"LUFFY, ARE YOU INSANE?" Nami-baka shouted. "AAVE, _YOU_ THROW THEM DOWN HERE!" I floated over and peeked over the edge.

"I don't feel like it." I said, dangling Bearetta over the edge.

"ARE YOU _BOTH_ INSANE? THROW THEM DOWN!" Nami-baka ordered.

"Forget it!" Luffy said. "I don't want to."

"Me either!" I said.

"DARN IT, YOU TWO!"

"It's ok. They don't want to do it." Gaimon said.

"HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT?" Nami-baka yelled at him. "IT'S _YOUR_ TREASURE!"

"Mugiwara! Ghost girl!" Gaimon shouted up to us. Bearetta went back into my hat. "You.." He was crying… "you're great kids!"

"WHAT?!" Nami-baka shouted disbelievingly.

*sniff sniff* "I-I suspected that might be the case…I had my fears…" Luffy sat down, and I lay my head down on the rock. "But…I just didn't want to believe it…" He held his head in his hands.

"They're empty…aren't they?" Bingo.

"Yup." Luffy said. "They're all empty." Gaimon mumbled something into his hands that I couldn't hear.

"But you've been guarding them for 20 years!" Nami-baka said. "…and they're empty…"

"This is too depressing…" I muttered to myself.

"I agree." I heard Luffy whisper.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Luffy suddenly laughed. "Don't feel bad, Mr. Shrub head! You're lucky we showed up! Another 30 years and your life would've passed you by!" I smiled as the mood surrounding the conversation became lighter.

"Kid…"

"Luffy…"

"Well, only one thing will make up for a disappointment like this!" Luffy exclaimed. "You're going after the One Piece with me!"

"You want…" Gaimon looked speechless. "You want me to join your crew?"

"Banzai!" I shouted, throwing rose petals in the air.

**(line break!)**

"Are you sure?" Nami-baka asked Gaimon. "You really want to stay on this island?"

"Yes…" Gaimon said. "Nice of you to ask me to join you, but this is my home. There's no treasure, but I can still be the guardian of the forest!"

"Why?" Nami-baka asked.

"Did you see all the unusual animals that live in the forest?" Gaimon asked her.

"All those weird snake-rabbits and lion-pigs?" She said.

"Like Gwaine?" I asked, pointing to said shibainu-hummingbird. Gaimon nodded.

"More people come to this island looking for exotic animals than for treasure. I've grown fond of those critters after all these years." Gaimon explained. "I don't want to abandon them."

"You're sort of an exotic animal yourself!" Luffy pointed out.

"WATCH IT, BUSTER!"

"But he's right." I said. Gwaine barked in agreement.

"HEY!"

"In a way," he went on in a calmer tone, "I'm relieved that there's no treasure! I can finally stop fretting about it and enjoy this island!"

"Too bad you won't be coming with us." Luffy said. "I kinda like you."

"Can Gwaine come with me?" I asked Gaimon. Gaimon nodded.

"If Gwaine wants to, sure." I looked at Gwaine, who wagged his tail, and flew over to the boat.

"You'll get yourself a great crew!" Gaimon said to Luffy. "Now, go find the One Piece, and make the world your oyster!"

"Thanks!" Luffy said. "I will, see ya!"

With that, we cast off.

***I do not own Monty Python**

**I am glad that's over with. I don't know why, but writing this chapter was kinda boring. So, forgive me if it's boring. **


	11. Chapter 11

**ureshiitamago: Well, I worked on this during the week (even though I was busy as heck), and as much as I could over the weekend, so I hope you like! :)**

**Aave: As long as Bearetta is in it!**

**Ureshiitamago: Yes, Bearetta is in it.**

**Aave: Yaaay! Now for thankies!**

**We would like to thank Patchwork Knightess, Gameprince33, nami98, Elise477, serenity-neko-chan, and Joldino-Sidestreaker for following/favoriting this fanfic!**

**Ureshiitamago: Good job! **

**Aave: Thanks!**

**Ureshiitamago: Disclaimer; I don't own One Piece, or any references or songs. **

_ "__Can Gwaine come with me?" I asked Gaimon. Gaimon nodded._

_ "__If Gwaine wants to, sure." I looked at Gwaine, who wagged his tail, and flew over to the boat._

_ "__You'll get yourself a great crew!" Gaimon said to Luffy. "Now, go find the One Piece, and make the world your oyster!" _

_ "__Thanks!" Luffy said. "I will, see ya!" _

_With that, we cast off. _

**Chapter 11: A Bored Ghost is Not a Good Ghost…**

"Boooored! Boooored! Zooorooo! Play with me!" I whined, clutching onto Gwaine and Bearetta, shoving them into Zoro's sleeping face.

"Zzzzzzzzz…" I scowled, irritated that he was _still_ sleeping (an extremely boring past-time) when he could be having the time of his life playing dress up with me. Well, he wouldn't be sleeping for much longer…

"AAAAAAAAAAAH!" Zoro shouted, waking up immediately and dancing around the small boat like he had a fish in his pants. (Which, he did… :P) Nami-baka and I giggled at the sight of the normally stoic swordsman jumping around with a mixture of panic, disgust, and anger on his face. Finally, after a few minutes of Nami-baka and mine's giggles turning into full blown laughter (with Gwaine and Bearetta laughing as well), Zoro finally fished the fish out of his pants, and stood there with it in his hands, panting angrily at us. Nami-baka recovered from her laughing fit first, and pretended like she didn't see anything. I wasn't inclined to salvage the swordsman's pride though, so I carried on laughing.

"If you want to play with someone, where's Luffy?" Zoro demanded me, waving the poor fish in my face.

"He's taking a nap, and I didn't want to disturb him!" I said in between my guffaws. One of his eyebrows twitched.

"…So…you decided to wake me up…from _my_ nap?" He asked me slowly, as if talking to a child. Oh wait, I _was_ a child! I nodded enthusiastically, and floated back up above the boat.

"Yup!" I watched in amusement as a tic mark grew on his forehead, a result from having to look up in order to look me in the face.

"And you couldn't ask Nami to play with you?" He asked, a little too patiently for my liking. I backed off slowly, dragging Bearetta and Gwaine with me by their tails.

"She was counting her treasure again…it was boring to watch." I said, backing up to the point where I was over the water in between the two boats.

"What about singing?" He demanded. I grinned.

"You want me to sing?" I saw his eyes widen comically, and pressed on before he could take back what he had said.

"Ok! I'll sing then!"

**_Surfin' USA by The Beach Boys_**

_If everybody had an oooocean_

_Across the USAAAAA_

_Then everybody'd be suuurfinn_

_Like Californi-a_

_You'd see 'em wearin' their baaaggiess_

_Huarachi sandals too_

_A bushy bushy blonde hairdooo_

_Surfin' USA_

_You'd catch 'em surfin' at Del Mar_

_Ventura County Line_

_Santa Cruise and Trestle_

_Australia's Narrabeen_

_All over Manhattan, and down Doheny way_

_Everybody's gone suuuurfin'_

_Surfin' USA_

_We'll all be planning that route_

_We're gonna take real soon_

_We're waxing down our surf-boards_

_We can't wait for June_

_We'll all be gone for the summer_

_We're on Safari to stay_

_Tell the teacher we're suurfin'_

_Surfin' USA_

_Haggerties and Swamies_

_Pacific palisades_

_San Onofre and Sunset_

_Redondo Beach L.A._

_All over La Jolla_

_And Wa'imea Bay_

_Everybody's gone suurfin'_

_Surfin' USA_

_Everybody's gone suurfin' _

_Surfin' USA_

_Everybody's gone suurfin'_

_Surfin' USA_

There was a pause as Zoro and Nami-baka stared at me in disbelief. Then Nami-baka smiled behind her hand while Zoro growled something and went back to his sleep spot. I scowled at his back and stuck my tongue out at him. :P Then, I hurriedly pretended that I hadn't stuck my tongue out at him when he turned back around. He stared at me for a moment with suspicion in his eyes, before apparently dismissing his suspicions, and lying down, closing his eyes again. Soon, snores could be heard from his side of the boat again. I grumbled, and exchanged funny looking angry faces with Gwaine and Bearetta.

"Why don't you ask Luffy to play?" Nami-baka asked me. I looked over to where Luffy was lying peacefully, snoring lightly.

"Wow, you truly are a baka." I remarked. She sputtered for a moment before I went on. "I would rather bother the one who doesn't play with me rather than the one who plays with me all the time and deserves some rest." I said, trying to sound logical. Apparently, it worked. She nodded, apparently satisfied in my answer. I sighed. Nami-baka had gone back to her counting. Boring. Zoro had gone back to sleep. Boring. Luffy needed his sleep, so I resolved to let him sleep. _BORING_! I wished I had a gun and a smiley face on a wall so I could practice my aim…but then again, I didn't like guns…hmm. That was a problem.

I flew up to my perch at the top of the mast, and stared up at the sky with Gwaine and Bearetta.

"Hey look!" I pointed out to them in a whisper, so as not to wake the boys or bother Nami-baka. "A rainbow! There are a lot of songs about rainbows." I looked at them both, pretending to be a teacher.

"Do you want to hear one?" Gwaine barked/chirped a yes, and I made Bearetta nod up and down, up and down. I smiled.

"Lean in, 'cause I'm gonna sing it quietly!" Gwaine flew closer, and I hugged Bearetta in my arms, and started to sing softly, staring up at the rainbow the entire time.

**_Rainbow Connection by Kermit the Frog_**

_Why are there so many_

_Songs about rainbows,_

_And what's on the other side?_

_Rainbows are visions_

_But only illusions,_

_And rainbows have nothing to hide._

_So we've been told and some choose to believe it._

_I know they're wrong, _

_Wait and see._

_Someday we'll find it,_

_The rainbow connection,_

_The lovers, the dreamers, and me._

_Who said that every wish_

_Would be heard and answered_

_When wished on the morning star._

_Somebody thought of that,_

_And someone believed it,_

_And look what it's done so far._

_What's so amazing that keeps us stargazing?_

_And what do you think we might see?_

_Someday we'll find it,_

_The rainbow connection,_

_The lovers, the dreamers, and me,_

_All of us under its spell, we know that it's probably magic,_

_Have you been half asleep?_

_And have you heard voices?_

_I've heard them calling my name._

_Is this the sweet sound,_

_That calls the young sailors?_

_The voice might be one and the same._

_I've heard it too many times to ignore it._

_It's something that I'm supposed to be._

_Someday we'll find it,_

_The rainbow connection,_

_The lovers, the dreamers, and me,_

_Laa dada dee dada doo la la dada dee dee da doo._

I finished the song, and, letting the words die away into the wind, I leaned backwards as far as I dared and looked up at the rainbow that decorated the sky so beautifully. Pink, purple, red, blue, green. Beautiful. I giggled, thinking about the leprechaun at the end of the rainbow. Maybe he was the leprechaun king, and he was using the rainbow as a way to check on his son. I glanced down at the (supposedly) sleeping form of Zoro, and giggled again when I saw his green hair. Son of the leprechaun king.

About three hours, and a lot of bugging Zoro later, Luffy finally woke up.

"Wanna play?!" I asked him, floating right in front of his face, my own face eager to drive the boredom away. He was about to reply, his face just as enthusiastic as mine, when his stomach growled. And it wasn't that small growl that a stomach makes when it's a _little_ hungry, no. It was a big big _big_ growl. The kind that made me do backwards somersaults in the air. _Rrrrrrruuuuummble!_

"Well…" He gave me an almost sheepish look, "I think I should have something to eat first." I pouted for a moment, but nodded anyway. Geez, the living were so picky about when to play…oh wait…so was I…*ahem* I watched him moodily as he gobbled up some fruit, and chugged down some water before turning back around to me. His face lit up in a grin.

"So, what do you want to play?" He asked me. I made a show of pretending to think, the way politicians did (or at least, that's what Grandpapa told me) when they were asked a difficult question.

"Hmmm…what to choose, what to choose…oooh! I know! I spy!" I finally cried, pointing into the air, and planting my other fist on my hip. Luffy cheered, and we both sat down to play.

"I'll go first!" I said, raising my hand. Luffy nodded. "I spy with my little eye…something…White!"

"Clouds!" Luffy immediately answered. I shook my head.

"Boo boo, wrong!"

"Sheep!"

"There's no sheep in the ocean!"

"Wave foam!"

"Is there such a thing?"

"Yes."

"Oh…well no, you're wrong."

"Hmmm…" Luffy really seemed stumped, but then, he caught me looking at Buggy's ship. I saw a light bulb turn on over his head.

"The Buggy skull!" He cried triumphantly. I nodded, and clapped my hands.

"Co-rrect!" I sang. "Your turn!"

"I spy with my little eye, something blue!"

"The sky!"

"Aaaw, how'd you guess?"

"It's either that or the sea!" I said with a smile. "Ok, I spy, something orange!" Luffy laughed.

"Oh, that's easy!" He shouted. "Nami's hair!" I spun in a circle, and giggled.

"I spy…Something blue!" Luffy shouted.

"The ocean!"

"Nope!" I blinked at him. Not the ocean? I frowned, thinking hard.

"My…hat?"

"Nope!"

"Nami-baka's clothes?"

"Nope!"

"…I give up!" I said with a sigh.

"Your eyes!" Luffy said, ecstatic that he had won one against me. I started to laugh along with him. "I win!"

We played patty-cake (Luffy won, of course), Simon says (Luffy lost, he never followed my directions!), and Shiratori*(We tied). After a while, Luffy decided to sit on his special seat and stare out at the ocean. He said he was going to think, so I left him alone. Instead, I decided to play dress up with Zoro. (Yes, he was asleep, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to dress him up! ;P)

"And the pink bow goes…here." I whispered to myself, Gwaine, and Bearetta. I carefully attached the bow to Zoro's head, and stepped back to view my creation. The pink bow adorned his hair, he had fake earrings on his right ear to match the ones on his left, and I tied a lacy baby bib around his neck that had the words 'son of the leprechaun king' embroidered on the front. I nodded to myself, satisfied at a job well done.

"We're being rash." Nami-baka suddenly said from her boat. I glanced at Zoro, who was just waking up, and skedaddled over to where Luffy was sitting.

"Why?" Luffy asked her. I flew to the front of him, and plopped down in his lap, half listening to their conversation, half listening for Zoro's angry shouting.

"We can't sail the _Grand Line_ like this!" She tried to explain.

"You're right!" Luffy replied, taking my hat off of my head and asking for a comb. I gave one to him, and he started to comb my hair in soothing strokes while continuing with his conversation. "That shrub-man gave us a lot of fruit, but we need meat to keep our strength up!"

"I'm not talking about _food_!" Nami-baka exclaimed. I giggled as I saw Zoro yawn and stretch out of the corner of my eye.

"She's right." Zoro yawned, placing his hands behind his head. "We don't have a drop of grog on board!" He seemed to notice that there was something on his chest, and looked down. I couldn't see very well, but I could tell he was angry.

"I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT BOOZE EITHER!" Nami-baka shouted.

"AAVE, YA LITTLE SCAMP!" Zoro shouted, tearing off the bib, earrings and bow. I squeaked, and wiggled in Luffy's grasp, trying to get free. Luffy responded by pulling the comb through my hair again.

"We're heading for the Grand Line!" Nam-baka continued, sending a glare in Zorro's direction. "The most dangerous sea in the world! And don't forget, the most successful pirates in the world are after the One Piece too! And their ships are big and sturdy…" she adopted a thinking pose, "ours are little tubs, and we don't even have a crew… if we go on like this, we'll never survive this foolhardy venture!" Luffy finished combing my hair, and then turned to talk to Nami-baka.

"So what should we do?" He asked her, placing my hat back on my head.

"Find more crewmates?" I suggested, switching Bearetta's nurse hat for a cowboy one.

"No, not yet." Nami-baka said. "I was thinking that we should to the village that's a little south from here. Our first priority is to acquire a proper vessel." I blinked in confusion.

"What's that in normal language?" I asked. She rolled her eyes.

"We need to buy a proper ship."

"_AND_ EAT MEAT!" Luffy shouted, raising both of his hands over his head.

"And Sake." Zoro said in a calmer voice, though he still glared at me angrily. I giggled into my hands, and played with my watch-necklace.

"Not everything is about meat and sake!" Nami-baka exclaimed, throwing her hands into the air in exasperation.

"Of course not!" I said. Nami-baka smiled at me, and I went on. "It's also about playing games!" Nami-baka face palmed, and groaned.

"Am I the only _sane_ one on this boat?" She asked herself.

"I am so far out of sane that the rest of you appear as tiny blips on the coast of sanity!" I declared, floating up off of Luffy's lap. Nami-baka looked up at me.

"You're saying you're insane?" She asked. I shook my head.

"No, it's _you_ who's _in_ sane." I explained. She frowned, trying to wrap her head around what I had said. I decided to help her.

"I'm _out_ of sane." She looked at me confusedly.

"And that means…" She prompted.

"I'm out of sane." I said, slowly as if talking to a child. (In essence, I _was_ older than them, by age if not maturity.)

"THAT DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING!" Nami-baka yelled. I laughed, and retreated to my perch to play with Gwaine.

**(Line break)**

"What do you know!" Luffy exclaimed as he hopped out of the boat and onto shore. "There really _is_ an island here!"

"Of course there is!" Nami-baka said from farther up the shore. "It's on the map!"

"We should get a compass that only points where you want it to." I said, imagining the compass.

"What use would that be?" Nami-baka asked.

"It would be fun to play with!" I said with a laugh. She scowled at me. I whistled a happy tune, and looked anywhere but her face. She was obviously still mad about earlier, and I made it a point to never get a woman _too_ angry. After all, 'Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.' That was a major saying in my house growing up, warning about my mother, and not to get her angry.

"There's a village here?" Luffy asked, pointing up the cliff, successfully diffusing the situation. Nami-baka turned to the map in her hands and smiled.

"Yeah," she said, "but it looks pretty small." I touched down on the beach and made myself 'human'. It took a lot of concentration, and I would have to have a piggyback from Luffy to wherever we were going, but for about 24 hours, I would have the semblance of life, though I still couldn't die a second time. I didn't get hungry either, which was always a plus.

"Up, please." I demanded Luffy, my legs betraying me. I fell to the ground, and lifted up my arms. Luffy scooped me up, and supported me the way my dad would. **A/N: Ok, here's a link to a picture that will show you what I tried to describe, but wasn't able to. **** picture-father-carrying-his-daughter-on-his-arms_ ****If that doesn't work, just google dad carrying daughter.**

"Aaah!" Zoro exclaimed, stretching up and popping his back. "Solid ground at last!"

"What?" Luffy wondered, bouncing me up and down. I giggled, and held onto my hat with one hand, and Bearetta with the other. "You slept the whole way."

"You lazy!" I said jokingly. Zoro threw me a glare before looking up to the top of the cliffs.

"So…" he said. "What do you think is up with _those_ guys?" He nodded up to the cliffs. Luffy and I looked over and up to see four figures (one taller than the others) stand up and gasp dramatically. Then, three of the four ran away, leaving the taller one behind.

"HEY, YOU GUYS!" I heard the tall one shout. "DON'T RUN AWAY!"

"Too late!" I sang into Luffy's ear, both of us watching as the tall one climbed down the cliff and faced us. The first thing I noticed was his nose.

"Ah!" I said, pointing at him. He looked at me with slight confusion. "I know you!" His face turned haughty.

"OF COURSE YOU KNOW ME!" he shouted. "I AM-"

"Pinocchio!" I said for him.

"YES! I AM…wait…" He looked at me, and then shouted, "I'M _NOT_ PINOCCHIO!" I covered my ears with one free hand and the paw of Bearetta.

"Not so loud." I muttered, sticking my tongue out at him.

"I AM THE NOTORIOUS CAPTAIN USOPP!" He shouted, crossing his arms and looking smug. "FEARED PIRATE, AND RULER OF THIS VILLAGE!"

"No, you're a wooden puppet whose nose grows when he tells lies." I corrected him. "And you have a Cricket conscience, whose name is Jiminy Cricket. Where is he, by the way? I want to meet him." Pinocchio blinked at me.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." He said to me. "But you all better think twice before you invade! I have 80 billion men poised to stop you!"

"Your nose grows!" I exclaimed, pointing at his nose with the hand that held Bearetta.

"What?" He asked, looking around in hopes for a translation.

"She means that you're lying." Nami-baka explained.

"DARN! SHE SAW THROUGH ME!" Pinocchio screamed, holding his head and looking at Nami-baka in shock.

"See?I knew it." Nami-baka said, a sweatdrop running down her head.

"DARN! I ADMITTED THAT I LIED!" Pinocchio shouted, rolling back and forth on the ground. "SHE'S A MASTER OF INTERROGATION!"

"Hahahahaha!" Luffy laughed. "You're funny, Pinocchio!"

"MY NAME'S USOPP! AND ARE YOU LAUGHING AT ME?!" Pinocchio/Usopp shouted. "I'M A PROUD MAN! WHICH IS WHY THEY CALL ME 'PROUD CAPTAIN USOPP'!"

"Your nose grows." I said resolutely. Pinocchio clapped a hand over his nose and glared at me.

"Not helping, Aave." Nami-baka said. I fell silent, playing with Bearetta's hat. Luffy looked at me for a moment before turning back to Pinocchio.

"So, Pinocchio, is there a place with meat anywhere around here?" He asked.

"It's _Usopp_." Pinocchio replied. "And yes, follow me."

**(Line break)**

"Meshi." I read out loud, looking up at the sign of the inn that Pinocchio (sorry. _Usopp_) had led us to. Luffy drooled, and almost dropped me. I clung onto him with a yelp.

"Food!" He exclaimed. I tightened my grip as he burst inside and immediately grabbed a seat, plopping me down so I was between him and the window.

"Oi, old lady! Meat!" He shouted to the lady behind the counter who was reading a newspaper. She nodded, and started to cook.

"And sake!" Zoro added. She tossed over a bottle. I hummed and kicked my feet against the seat, finally getting some strength back.

"Ne, Nami-baka?" I asked her. She looked over at me questioningly, fork poised to stab some salad.

"Yes, Aave-chan?" She asked. I grimaced at the nick name she gave me.

"What were your friends like?" I asked, fiddling with the hat on my head. Nami-baka stared at me.

"What brought this on?"

"Just wonderin'."

"Well, I didn't have many. But I do have an older sister. She's nice." Nami-baka said. I nodded thoughtfully. "Do you have any?" She asked me.

"I did, but they're all dead." I said. "Ghost, remember?" She looked at me sadly.

"G-g-g-g-g-g-ghost?!" Pinocchio/Usopp stuttered. I blinked at him.

"Yeah, I'm a ghost." I said, nodding my head. He fell backwards out of his chair, pale white.

"IIIIYAAAA!" He screamed. I pouted and crossed my arms, glaring at him, and then looking pointedly at Luffy. Luffy looked up from his meat long enough to whack Usopp on the head.

"OW!" Usopp yelled. "WHY'D YOU DO THAT?"

"You were screaming. It was annoying." Luffy said as a way of explanation.

"I'm going to sleep." I said, yawning tiredly.

"I thought ghosts don't sleep?" Nami-baka asked me.

"I'm in human form now." I said. "I dunno how it works, but instead of blacking out, in this form I sleep."

"How long are you human?" Zoro asked, taking a swig of sake.

"24 hours." I responded. "You're my pillow. Don't move." I said to Luffy, who nodded and continued to gorge himself. I yawned again, and curled up on the bench, resting my head on Luffy's lap, and I slept.

_Flashback Dream!_

_ "__Hey there!" Hoshi-chan called out to me. I turned to see her running into my clearing, looking excited about something. _

_ "__What is it?" I asked. With Hoshi-chan, you never knew. One time, she made flowers turn into doves. _

_ "__Aave-yuuyuu! I found this!" She held out something in her brown encased hand. I peered at it. It looked to be a Robin egg. _

_ "__Is it still alive?" I asked, afraid for the little unborn robin. Hoshi-chan's grin widened considerably._

_ "__It's hatching now!" She said, eyes shining. Sure enough, I saw little cracks appear over the surface. I held my breath to listen, and heard a tiny _crack_. I looked up at Hoshi-chan, eyes wide. _

_ "__It's hatching!" I whisper-shouted. She wiggled with excitement. _

_ "__I know!" We both stared at the egg excitedly, watching the cracks grow bigger, and start to separate. The egg popped open, and out came a small baby robin, no bigger than my thumb. _

_ "__It's adorable!" Hoshi-chan gushed as the baby Robin fell over on her hand and cheeped at us. _

_ "__Where's its mother?" I asked, looking around in the sky for a Robin that might take the baby and raise it as its own. I couldn't see any._

_ "__I don't know." Hoshi-chan admitted. "As far as I know, there aren't any Robins on this island." _

_ "__Then how did it get here?" I asked her curiously. She looked up from what was in her hand. _

_ "__It's a mystery!" She announced with a grin. I laughed and clapped my hands, blissfully unaware that the Robin baby wouldn't live to see the next day, and the following day after that, Hoshi-chan would be dead._

_End Flashback Dream_

I yawned and opened my eyes at the sensation of movement. Luffy was carrying me as he had before, and we were walking in the direction of a large mansion that dominated the hillside.

"Where're we goin'?" I asked, rubbing my eyes.

"We're going to ask a rich girl for a ship!" Luffy explained.

"Oh. Ok." I said, looking around. There were three kids along with Nami-baka and Zoro. One looked like an onion, another like a carrot, and the third like a pepper. We looked at each other for a moment.

"Who're you?" I asked them. They jumped as they were walking (how did they manage that?) and answered in a globbed mess. All I gathered from that was that the Onion was named Onion, the Pepper was named Pepper, and the Carrot was named Carrot. Interesting.

"What happened to Pinocchio?" I asked Luffy, deciding to ignore the three kids with the literal names.

"He went to tell lies to the rich girl to cheer her up!" Luffy said. "Isn't he a nice guy?"

"Depends on the lies." I said. Finally, we arrived at the gates.

"Hey you!" Luffy called to the gate. "Give us a ship!"

***Shiratori is a Japanese word game where you take the last character of the item mentioned, and say the name of another thing. Your word cannot end in 'nn', otherwise it's an instant loss.**

**I'll end that there for now! Just a heads up, I won't be able to update from March 5****th**** through March 16****th****. I'm going on an adventure where sadly, I will not be able to access internets unless I want to be hacked…**


	12. Chapter 12

**Ureshiitamago: Boo yah! 12 Chappies! I. Am. Amazing!**

**Aave: You are?**

**Ureshiitamago: Why yes, yes I am.**

**Aave: Nice to meet you, Amazing! I'm Aave!**

**Ureshiitamago: *insert facepalm here* That was a stupid joke…**

**Aave: Here are the thankies!**

**We would like to thank Varus the Shadow Sage, Morietachibana, Cassie2012, Cyannel, AlwaysReading42, xxMockingbirdxxx, Cattakari, Aria868, little firework, Salazar James Slytherin, FallenArcAngel16, and amerdism for following/favoriting this story!**

**Also, a special thanks to amerdism(here's the next chappie ;)), WellHelloThere (guest), Cyannel, and QuirkyKit for reviewing**

** WellHelloThere: Since you reviewed as a guest, here's your reply! XD Yes, that was a Sherlock reference! I'm glad you caught that!**

**Ureshiitamago: There ya go! I do not own One Piece or any songs or references in this fanfic. **

_ "__What happened to Pinocchio?" I asked Luffy, deciding to ignore the three kids with the literal names. _

_ "__He went to tell lies to the rich girl to cheer her up!" Luffy said. "Isn't he a nice guy?" _

_ "__Depends on the lies." I said. Finally, we arrived at the gates._

_ "__Hey you!" Luffy called to the gate. "Give us a ship!"_

**Chapter 12: Ghosts running out of titles :(**

"They won't hear you." I said from Luffy's arms. "You're too quiet."

"…" Luffy was silent for a moment, contemplating what I said.

"Do you want me to be loud?" I asked. "I can be loud!"

"Naw." Luffy said, hitching me higher up on his hip and climbing the gate. "Let's go in."

"Ever heard of knocking?" the one named Pepper shouted up at us.

"Nope!" I called back, clinging to Luffy's neck with one arm, and my hat and Bearetta with the other.

"There's no stopping them now." I heard Nami-baka mutter.

"I guess we'll have to go with them." Zoro remarked, crossing his arms and looking up at us. I stuck my tongue out at him from over Luffy's shoulder. I yelped and then started giggling as Luffy hopped down off of the gate.

"Piggyback ride?" I asked Luffy hopefully. Wordlessly, he allowed himself to be a jungle gym for a moment to allow me to climb around him onto his back. I had a little trouble, seeing as I wouldn't let Bearetta go, but I got there in the end.

"_Yankee Doodle went to London, riding on a pony, stuck a feather in his cap and called it Macaroni."_ I sang as we waited for the others to climb over the fence.

"What's _that_ song?" Nami-baka asked as she landed next to us. I grinned over at her.

"It's a song I was taught by a ghost from a different place." I said. "Wanna hear the rest?"

"No." Nami-baka answered, rather too quickly for my liking. I pouted at her, and then turned farther around as I craned my neck up to see Zoro helping the kids over the fence. *throw* Pepper was over the fence. *throw* Onion was over the fence. *scream* *yell* *throw* Carrot was over the fence. Zoro jumped down to us with a grimace on his face. Carrot had screamed in his ear at the height of the gate. I bet he had a popped ear drum. Margareta agreed with me.

"Now let's go find Pinocchio/Captain!" Us four kids called out at the same time. We frowned at each other.

"I said it first!" We all said again.

"No, _I_ did."

"NO, I DID!"

"N-" Nami-baka cut us off by giving the four of us lumps on our heads.

"Onibaba…" the four of us said. Nami-baka glared at us, and raised her fist again. We clapped our hands over our mouths.

"Wahaha!" Luffy laughed. "Well, let's go find Pinocchio-Usopp!" He said, walking in a random direction. I tugged on his hat to get his attention.

"I hear voices from _that_ direction." I said, pointing in the direction opposite from where he was going. Luffy did a quick about-face and started to jog in the opposite direction. I grinned and waved at the others as we passed them for a second time.

"Onwards!" I shouted, tackling Luffy's head as I pointed in the direction of the voices excitedly. Luffy laughed and sped up a little.

"CAPTAIN!" The three kids shouted as we came within sight of Usopp sitting against a tree and talking to a beautiful lady.

"That's right, they called me…" Usopp trailed off as he looked over at us.

"What are _you guys_ doing here?!" he demanded with a gasp. Pepper, Carrot, and Onion pointed at Luffy and I.

"We brought these guys with us." They reported. I made a face at Usopp, pulling my bottom eyelids down and making my mouth do an under bite. The lady giggled at my antics.

"Who are they?" She asked Usopp.

"You must be the mistress of this place!" Luffy exclaimed, putting two and two together. Usopp ambled over to us, and attempted to put his arm over Luffy's shoulders, but I attempted to bite his hand off. He leapt back from me as if I were a demon, and laughed nervously.

"Oh, they heard of my reputation from afar, and came to seek me out." He said, quickly recovering from his ghost scare. I stuck my tongue out at him. "They're the newest members of my crew!" I frowned.

"I'm not part of any crew." I said, kicking my feet.

"Yes!" Luffy agreed with Usopp without thinking, and then backtracked. "Wait, that's not right." I laughed, and leaned over Luffy's shoulder to look the pretty lady in the eye.

"Why are you sick?" I asked her. Usopp started yelling something incomprehensible. The pretty lady looked at me sadly.

"Well, when my parents died, I fell into a state of depression, and I'm still trying to get over it. It makes me unable to walk very far, and I become winded just walking down the hallway." She explained. I nodded slowly, understanding maybe half of what she'd said.

"Hmm…" I hummed, and then realized something. "Oh yeah! Luffy wanted to ask you a favor!" I said, whacking Luffy on the head to make him realize we were talking about him, and to point him out to the pretty lady.

"A favor?" She said, looking slightly intrigued. "To ask of me?"

"Yeah!" Luffy exclaimed, letting go of my legs and throwing his arms out to the side. I managed to whack him on the head and stabilize myself without falling. "We want a big sturdy ship!" Luffy said, but was drowned out by another extremely unpleasant voice.

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!" I looked to my right as Luffy turned to see who had shown up. It was a man with black slicked back hair, glasses that were almost falling off of his nose, and a black suit with gold poop embroidering the labels. I blinked at his outfit before hiding my face on Luffy's shoulder so I wouldn't be seen laughing at him.

"You realize you are trespassing?!" the man exclaimed, frowning at us like we were insects. I stopped laughing and looked up at him. In all my time being 'around', I had met many people, and learnt many things, like how to _read_ people. Basically, I could get a grasp of what a person's personality was if I really wanted to and applied myself, which I hardly ever did.

"He's a meanie." I whispered into Luffy's ear after staring at the man for a moment.

"The butler!" Usopp said, looking the other way.

"Klahadore!" The pretty lady said, looking over at the butler who now had a name.

"That's a funny name." I whispered to Luffy. He grinned in response.

"He has poop on his jacket." He said, pointing it out. I giggled.

"I know!"

"You see, these people are…" the pretty lady trailed off as Klahadore interrupted her.

"Save your excuses for later." He said, holding his hand up to stop her from talking.

"You must all go immediately." Klahadore said to us in a commanding tone. "Or do you have some business here?"

"I want a sturdy ship!" Luffy said with a grin.

"I can't help you." Klahadore replied immediately.

"Booooring!" I called from Luffy's back as Luffy sagged with disappointment. Zoro patted Luffy on the head in an attempt to cheer him up. Klahadore looked over at Usopp.

"You…you're Usopp, aren't you?" He said. I could hear a nasty tone in his voice. "Your reputation precedes you…You're the talk of the village."

"Uh…thanks!" Usopp replied. "Call me 'Captain Usopp' if you please!" He pointed at himself, holding his head up high. "But really, there's no need for flattery." Klahadore's face darkened as he adjusted his glasses with his palm.

"The guards…they've reported seeing you lurking around the estate. Do you have any business being here?" he said.

"Well…yes, I do." Usopp replied shakily. "I saw a legendary _mole_ enter this estate. I'm trying to capture him!" I watched the exchange with wide eyes, not liking where the conversation was leading.

"Hmph. You've a gift for deceit." Klahadore said, shaking his head slightly.

"What?" Usopp asked, looking momentarily confused.

"I've also heard stories about your father." I tugged on Luffy's hair to get his attention.

"This isn't good." I muttered to him. Luffy frowned, but didn't ask how I knew.

"**You're the son of a filthy pirate.**" Klahadore's face looked positively murderous as he adjusted his glasses with his palm again. "**I wouldn't put anything past you. Stay away from mistress Kaya.**" I tugged nervously on Luffy's hair again as a shock ran through everyone else.

"Wow! His father's a pirate?!" Luffy exclaimed, ignoring my tugging. Usopp muttered something that I couldn't catch, but he looked angry at the comment, even from the back.

"You and mistress Kaya are from completely different worlds." Klahadore went on. My child danger sensor was going off the charts. "Is it money you're after? How much do you want?" _Why did he immediately leap to the assumption that Usopp wanted money_? I wondered.

"**YOU'VE GONE TOO FAR, KLAHADORE!**" Kaya shouted at the butler. "**YOU OWE USOPP-KUN AN APOLOGY!**"

"Mistress Kaya, why should I apologize to this trash?" Klahadore protested. "I'm only speaking the truth." He turned back to Usopp and adjusted his glasses with his palm again. "But I do feel sorry for you…your treasure crazed idiot father did abandon you." Luffy gripped my legs as I attempted to fly over his head (figuratively) and pummel the idiot butler. Anger surged through me on Usopp's behalf. Kaya evidently had almost the same thoughts as I did.

"KLAHADORE!" She shouted at him in a reprimanding and furious tone.

"**STOP BADMOUTHING MY FATHER!**" Usopp shouted, looking murderous himself.

"What are you getting so worked up about?" Klahadore asked him pompously. "Why not just fabricate some of your outrageous lies about your father?" I was steadily becoming angrier as Klahadore went on, and could tell that Usopp was too. What he said next was the last straw for Usopp. "Just say that he's really a merchant, or that he's not your real father, or perhaps…" Klahadore was cut off as Usopp punched him on the face. Hard. Hard enough to send Klahadore flying a foot or two.

"**_SHUT UP!_**" Usopp shouted as he punched the butler. Inside I was cheering for him, outside I was still seething at the butler. I hated it when someone started to mock someone just because of their family members. And having a pirate dad was _cool_ dammit! Luffy gripped my legs harder to keep me from doing something stupid. Psh. Like I was going to do that. Naw.

"CAPTAIN!" The three kids yelled.

"SEE HOW HE IS?" Klahadore yelled to Kaya. "HIS FIRST INSTINCT IS VIOLENCE! HE'S AN ANIMAL—LIKE HIS FATHER!"

"SHUT UP!" Usopp shouted. "**_I'M PROUD THAT MY FATHER IS A PIRATE! I'M PROUD THAT HE'S A BRAVE WARRIOR OF THE SEA! _**_YOU'RE RIGHT, I DO MAKE UP STORIES…__**BUT THERE'S ONE THING I'LL NEVER LIE ABOUT! I'LL NEVER LIE ABOUT MY PIRATE HERITAGE! **__**I'M THE SON OF A PIRATE!**_"

"Hey, wait a minute." Luffy said suddenly. "Now I remember."

"Remember what?" I asked him curiously. My anger at Klahadore was still there, but it was muted with the pride I felt when Usopp admitted his heritage.

"Something from my childhood." Luffy said nonchalantly.

"A pirate, 'a brave warrior of the sea'?" Klahadore said mockingly, getting up and adjusting his glasses. "That's a deceitful way to twist the truth. Nonetheless, your behavior is indisputable proof of your ruffian heritage." I tried to tug my hat over my entire head, this conversation was vexing me that much.

"Lie all you want…but, faced with difficulty, your first recourse is violence!" _Not true_. I thought, remembering Hoshi-chan. _There are nonviolent pirates. They are few, but they're there._ I must have said this out loud, because everyone was looking at me. I stuck my tongue out at Klahadore. He snorted.

"I know that he" he gestured to Usopp. "Is only kind to Miss Kaya because he's after her." I shook my head silently. He didn't seem like the kind of person to back down from what he thought or assumed.

"What?!" Usopp exclaimed. "I-" he was cut off by Klahadore again.

"I'M ONTO YOUR SCHEME, YOU SCALAWAG!" He shouted. "YOU'RE TRASH! LIKE YOUR PIRATE FATHER!" Usopp grabbed the front of Klahadore's suit and raised his other fist to punch him again.

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Usopp shouted, winding up to punch the butler.

"STOP, USOPP!" Kaya pleaded, leaning out of her window. "PLEASE, NO MORE VIOLENCE!" Usopp paused just as he was starting the punch, and looked over at Kaya.

"Klahadore's not a bad person…" she said, bringing her hand to her face and crying into it. "He takes care of me. He only wants what's best for me. He just…went too far…" _The man insulted Usopp's family…that's going way past far._

"…leave the grounds." The butler demanded, smacking Usopp's hand away from him.

"THIS IS NO PLACE FOR A RUFFIAN LIKE YOU! NEVER COME NEAR THIS ESTATE AGAIN!" Klahadore shouted.

"Fine, have it your way." Usopp said angrily, glaring at the butler. "I'm leaving. AND I'M NEVER COMING BACK!" He walked away with his hands in his pockets, slouching.

"STUPID SMELLY **BUTT**-LER!" Carrot shouted. "THE CAPTAIN'S A GREAT GUY!"

"YEAH, **FOOL**!" shouted Pepper.

"DUMB-BELL!" added Onion.

"POOP JACKET!" I shouted at him.

"**KNUCKLE HEAD!**" Luffy shouted.

"You two too?" Zoro said, smacking us both on the backs or our heads. I grabbed my hat as it fell off of my head, plopped it back on, and stuck my tongue out at Zoro. Klahadore adjusted his glasses again as we continued to insult him.

"C'MON AND FIGHT!" Luffy shouted. Zoro grabbed the back of my t-shirt, causing me to attempt to strangle Luffy in order to stay on his back.

"Easy, Luffy!" Zoro said.

"Nooo! Stay here! My piggyback ride!"

"GET OFF THIS PROPERTY IMMEDIATELY!" roared Klahadore. It was a mad rush to get to the gate, and when we did, Zoro jumped over first, then turned around to catch me as Luffy threw me over. I yelped as I landed in Zoro's arms, and then was set down on the ground so Zoro could catch the three boys who Luffy tossed over as well. I looked around.

"Where's Gwaine?" I asked Luffy as he jumped down next to me.

"The dog-bird?" Luffy asked, also looking around. I nodded, and Luffy shrugged.

"I dunno." He said. I frowned and clutched Bearetta to my chest.

"Maybe he's guarding the boats?" suggested Nami-baka, landing to my right.

"Maybe." I said, taking off my hat, putting Bearetta inside, and then putting my hat back on my head. Bearetta wasn't going anywhere. I looked around to see if my piggyback ride was still in the area. He wasn't.

"Zoro, can I have a piggyback ride?" I asked him, standing up and wobbling slightly. I hoped Zoro wouldn't notice that, but nooo.

"Why are you wobbling around like you're drunk?" He asked, a sliight smirk on his face. I mumbled an answer under my breath, but he put his hand to his ear and said loudly, "What? I can't hear you!"

"I'VE FORGOTTEN HOW TO WALK!" I shouted, the force of the shout driving me onto my bum. My face flushed a deep scarlet as Zoro guffawed. I glared at Nami-baka, who was hiding her giggles behind her hand. "Well?" I asked Zoro, who stopped laughing long enough to scoop me up. I continued to mutter threats on how I was going to paint his face in rainbows as he carried me to a nearby fence line.

"Ok, let's make you relearn how to walk." He said. I scowled, and nodded. "First," he said, setting me on my feet. I clutched the fence for support, "you lift your leg…"

"FAIRY QUEEN, SMACK THAT SMIRK OFF HIS FACE!" I shouted. Out of nowhere (to them at least) Zoro was bitch-slapped. He immediately drew his swords, looking around for the enemy that wasn't there.

"I haven't forgotten in my _mind_ how to walk, I've forgotten in my _muscles_." I said pompously, frowning at my legs. Lift up one leg, out, down, lift up other leg, out down, repeat. In 15 minutes, I was walking around, and even trying to run. The two boys who were left and I shrieked as we played tag together.

"I wonder where Luffy went…" I heard Nami-baka say. I skidded to a stop beside her and clambered onto the fence.

"He went to go see Pinocchio." I said, sticking my tongue out at Carrot, who was 'it', and trying to tag me.

"How are you so sure?" Nami-baka asked me.

"It's a Luffy thing to do." I responded with a shrug.

"You can't stay up there forever!" Carrot cried, chasing after Pepper.

"Watch me!" I shouted back.

"He's right, you can't." Nami-baka said before pushing me off of the fence. I yelled as I hit the ground and rolled.

"We know where the Captain went!" Carrot said, stopping beside me and tagging me. I grumbled, and grabbed Pepper's foot.

"Yeah!" Pepper said. "To the beach. Whenever something happens, that's where he always goes."

"Wanna see?" They asked at the same time. We were all sitting against the fence.

"No thanks." Zoro said.

"Hey, aren't you missing someone?" Nami-baka asked them, leaning down from her perch on top of the fence.

"Yeah, Onion!" Pepper said. "He always disappears…"

"And then he comes back running and screaming." Finished Carrot.

"Isn't that a little too predictable?" I asked, combing Margareta's hair.

"Yeah, a little." The other two admitted.

"WAAAAAAAAA! IT'S HORRIBLE! A BACKWARDS MAN!" I looked over at where the shouting was coming from. It was Onion, booking it down the road towards us.

"Onion!" Carrot said in surprise. I sweatdropped. _He always does it, why are you so surprised?_ I thought, concerned on where exactly the human race was headed.

"IT'S HORRIBLE! WAAAHH! A BACKWARDS MAN!" Onion shouted again, running as fast as he could towards us. Carrot and Pepper stood up to meet him on the road.

"THERE'S A STRANGE MAN HEADED THIS WAY WALKING BACKWARDS!" Onion shouted, pointing back the way he came.

"Liar." Carrot and Pepper chorused at the same time.

"IT'S TRUE!" Onion shouted. "LOOK!" We looked, and indeed, there was a strange backwards walking man walking backwards down the road. Zoro and I stood up, and I clambered back onto the fence to sit beside Nami-baka. I watched, swinging my legs against the fence, as the backwards man drew closer.

"Hey! Who just called me strange?" He demanded. I stared at his chin. It looked like there was some kind of striped mushroom bottom growing out of it.

"I'm not strange!" The strange man insisted.

"You're a little strange." Nami-baka said.

"A lot strange." I added.

"Don't be silly." The strange man said. "I'm just your typical traveling hypnotist."

"Wow! A hypnotist!"

"Show us a trick!"

"Yeah! Show us!" the three boys demanded.

"What? Don't be silly. I don't even know you." The strange hypnotist said. "Why should I preform for someone I've only just met?" There was a slight pause as he pulled out a dangerous looking ring on a string.

"Oh well…look at the ring…" he said.

"Then you're gonna preform?" Zoro asked, a sweatdrop slowly making its way down his head. The hypnotist ignored him. I looked everywhere _but_ the ring.

"When I say, 'One, two, Django', you'll fall sound asleep." The hypnotist balanced on his toes to squat, and the ring started to move.

"Ready?" He asked. The three kids nodded, I squeezed my eyes shut.

"One," I started to feel sleepy.

"Two," I pinched myself to try and stay awake.

"Django!" I fell onto Nami-baka's lap, sound asleep.

I woke up by Nami-baka lightly slapping my cheek.

"Oooi, wake up." She called out. "The hypnotist is gone." I blinked open my eyes, and immediately sat up, resulting in our foreheads colliding together.

"OW!" We both yelled, clutching our foreheads.

"WHY'D YOU DO THAT?!" she demanded.

"ISN'T THAT A NATURAL RESPONSE TO BEING WOKEN UP SO SUDDENLY?!" I shouted back. There was a pause as Nami-baka considered my point. After she was done thinking about it, she nodded.

"Point taken." She said. "But next time, don't do that. If you were in ghost form, I would be shivering on the ground right now." I grinned at her.

"Well, joke's on you 'cause I don't sleep in my normal form." I said, sitting up off of the ground and dusting my back off. I checked to make sure that my watch, hat, and bear were in the proper places…Where was Bearetta?...GAH!

"BEARETTA'S GONE!" I screeched, shaking my hat frantically as if she would pop out of the seams. I started searching around where I had ran while playing tag with the boys. Nami-baka, Zoro, and the boys started looking with me. I leapt onto the other side of the fence, and started looking around the ground on that side.

"No no no no no no no no…" I muttered.

"Found her." Zoro said, walking back from the direction of the mansion. I took the fence in one jump, and in another, right up to him. I grabbed Bearetta from his hands, and looked her over, searching for any rips or tears. Finding none, I hugged Zoro quickly before skipping back to the others, and we all leaned against the fence, pooped from our search for the stuffed bear. I had stuffed her inside my shirt so that she wouldn't get lost as easily.

"Whoa." Zoro said suddenly. "What's that?" I leaned on his head from where I was sitting beside him on the fence, and narrowed my eyes on the figure, which was steadily becoming larger.

"Looks like Pinocchio." I remarked.

"Can you get off my head?"

"No." We watched as Pinocchio raced by without as much as a how de do.

"Captain!" the three boys called after him.

"Hmmm." Zoro said. "And you were so sure that Luffy'd be with him." He said to me. I smacked his forehead with my hand repeatedly.

"Is he still upset about what the butler said about his father?" Nami-baka wondered, sliding off of the fence.

"Who knows?" Zoro said as I hopped onto his shoulders.

"No! Did you see his face?!" Carrot shouted, clenching his fists in front of him.

"Something must have happened at the beach!" Pepper shouted, also clenching his fists.

"He was as pale as a sheet!" added Onion, adopting the same pose as the other two. I smacked the top of Zoro's head to get his attention.

"If I'm right about Luffy having been with him, I get to play dress up with you." I ordered. Zoro grimaced.

"Fine." He said, knowing that he couldn't win that argument. "Hey, how do we get to the beach?" He asked the three boys.

"I smell trouble!" Carrot said to the other two boys excitedly.

"That hypnotist was headed that way too!" Pepper said, looking grim and crossing his arms.

"It's time for Usopp's Pirates to take action!" Onion shouted.

"Yeah, sure, but show us the way to the beach." Zoro said, sweatdropping at their actions. The three nodded and started to show us the way to the beach. We were walking down the road that Usopp had been tearing down in a hurry.

"_Hi hoo, hi hooo, it's off to the beach we goo!_" I sang.

"I'm going to dump you off if you continue singing." Zoro warned me. After that threat, I was strangely silent. When we got to the beach, it took us a while to find Luffy. When we did, I almost fell off of Zoro's shoulders laughing. Luffy was lying on his head sleeping!

**Ok, I know that's not much of a place to cut it off, but oh well! As Persassius Jackson says; Deal with it. Later!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Ureshiitamago: Hey thar! Welp, if you think the last chappie was horrible, it's cause I'm having a major (I guess) on this story…Maybe I shouldn't post chapters if I'm not really that into them…Don't get me wrong, I will continue this fanfic! (Through thick and through thin, and this is the thin) **

**Aave: This chapter is going to be short!**

**Ureshiitamago: *guilty face* it's really hard to even be able to write this much…but I will continue to persevere! (And hopefully, I will be able to get through this thing.) **

**Aave: Thankies!**

**We would like to thank Ashlielle, bloodemon2, willow-wisp-kitten (like your username btw), QuestionsxAndxAnswers, goldenemu (like yours too), DuncanIdaho2014, Souls of the Blue Fire Phoenix, Akaidance, Forever Sleepy, and Rina Dragonfly for following/favoriting!**

**Also, a special thanks to Souls of the Blue Fire Phoenix for reviewing!**

**Ureshiitamago: Also, for you Harry Potter fans out there, I'm making a fanfic on that too. Though I'm being smarter about that one. If you want more information on that, feel free to PM me. **

**Aave: Are you trying to get out of writing this fanfic? *Dangerous glare***

**Ureshiitamago: No, that's what several of my friends reading this story asked, and I'm definitely ****_not_**** abandoning this story. (I will be taking down Spirit Contract though, it needs some major changes. I was young and stupid, though it was only just last year) Anyway, here's the next (smaller) chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own any reference, song, or mentioned story (One Piece) in this fanfic, only Aave.**

_ "_Hi hoo, hi hooo, it's off to the beach we goo!_" I sang._

_ "__I'm going to dump you off if you continue singing." Zoro warned me. After that threat, I was strangely silent. When we got to the beach, it took us a while to find Luffy. When we did, I almost fell off of Zoro's shoulders laughing. Luffy was lying on his head sleeping!_

**Chapter 13: Anyghost got any ghostly chappie titles?**

"Luffy's sleeping!" I cried, pointing at Luffy's awkward position.

"I can see that…" Zoro replied from below me. I whacked the top of his head repeatedly.

"I _know_ you can, I'm just pointing it out!" I said huffily. Zoro had the guts to roll his eyes, I could tell. I whacked his head again, and then jumped off, landing on the sand and running over to Luffy.

"_Wake up you sleepy head, rub your eyes, get out of bed, wake up the wicked witch is dead!_" I sang as I jumped onto him and began using him as a trampoline. On my fourth jump, I was grabbed and shoved into the sand. I yelped, and gave an almighty struggle (which didn't last long seeing as he was tickling me :() and then fell silent as Luffy began retelling his tale. Apparently the poop-butler was really a pirate, and he wanted to kill Kaya. The three kids were upset about that.

"WHAT?!"

"MISS KAYA'S GOING TO BE KILLED?!"

"REALLY, STRAWHAT MAN? PIRATES ARE REALLY GOING TO ATTACK THE VILLAGE?" I plugged my ears when they shouted, making a la-la-la-la-laaa sound as I did so. Wow, they had _lungs_!

"Yup," confirmed Luffy. "That's what they said! No doubt about it!"

"Kind of an odd place to take a nap, isn't it?" Zoro pointed out. I looked up at the cliff looming above us.

"It's strange," I heard Luffy say confusedly. "I thought I was on _top_ of the cliff."

"Maybe you fell?" I suggested.

"Maybe," admitted Luffy, shrugging. The kids were still screaming at each other in panic.

"SO THAT **BUTT**-LER REALLY _IS_ A BAD GUY!" shouted Carrot.

"I NEVER DID LIKE HIM!" shouted Pepper.

"AND THE HYPNOTIST IS IN ON IT TOO!" added Onion.

"OH MY GOD, IT'S THE END OF THE WORLD!" I shouted at the top of my lungs, thoroughly irritated by their screaming. (What? I'm _old_ despite my young mind…) The three of them jumped at my voice and covered their ears.

"Ow, you yell _loud_!" They said. I stuck my tongue out at them.

"You were yelling first!" I said back. Nami-baka stepped between us as we all glared at each other, and changed the subject.

"So that's what your captain was doing." She said. "_That's _why he was running towards the village like his pants were on fire…"

"Aaw, I thought that was because a black cat was chasing him, and he didn't want its bad luck to rub off on him." I said sadly. I pretended to cry while Nami-baka stared at me like my weirdness was catching, and it was, in a way. I got my weirdness from Hoshi-chan after all, before that, I was only semi-weird.

"O-k…anyway, the villagers will have plenty of warning, so it'll be all right,"

"Unless they didn't believe Pinocchio!"

"…they can just hide out in the hills. Pirates are generally dumb."

"I'm not dumb."

"Quiet, Aave, it's not helping."

"No."

Meanwhile, the three kids were having a different (but kind of similar) conversation.

"Hey! Maybe we should go hid too!" Carrot said.

"Yeah, and we'd better take all our valuables!" added Pepper. Onion started to count off 'valuables' on his fingers.

"…piggy bank…snacks…model ship…what else?"

"HURRY" they ran off.

'"OH NO!" Luffy shouted. Nami-baka and looked over at him from our small argument over who would be quiet first. (I was winning.)

"What's wrong?" Zoro asked.

"Did you remember the black cat that was chasing Pinocchio?" I asked. Luffy shook his head.

"I've got to go buy some meat!" exclaimed Luffy, looking panicked. "Before the butcher leaves town!" Nami-baka whacked him on the head.

"That's not the first priority here!" She shouted. I sat down next to Luffy.

"What's the first priority then?" I asked. She smiled at me.

"Getting out of here alive." She answered, and I scowled. That wasn't a very good answer.

"What about playing games?" I asked.

"NO!" She shouted, growing shark teeth.

We should probably get some sake before the alcohol seller leaves town too." Zoro said, looking in the direction opposite the village. I stood up and bounded over to where he was.

"TAG! YOU'RE IT!" I shouted, and then started to run in the direction of the village, screaming loudly about an escaped son of the leprechaun king chasing me. Which he was…armed with swords…sharp swords…I looked behind me, squeaked when I saw that he was closing in, and noticed that the others were far behind, except for Luffy, who was gaining. I decided to run around a bush to buy the others some time.

"_All around the mulberry bush, the monkey chased the weasel, the monkey thought 'twas all in good fun, POP goes the weasel!_" I sang, not getting dizzy in the least. I couldn't say the same for Zoro, unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you look at it). We had ran around the bush (which may or may not have been a mulberry bush) around 20 times when Luffy caught up to us.

"ZORO! TAG ME!" He shouted, jumping up and down and waving his arms over his head like an excited two year old. I ran past Luffy, heading for Nami-baka.

"WAAAAAAAAH!" I screamed as I ran, hearing Luffy tear after me. I screeched to a halt, and ducked behind Nami-baka.

"_All around the Nami-baka, the Monkey chased the Aave, the Monkey thought 'twas all in good fun, POP goes the Aave!_" At POP, I used Luffy as a jumping board to get around him.

"I'M NOT A BAKA!" I heard Nami-baka yell after us as Luffy chased me back to where Zoro was standing. I screamed when I saw Zoro smirk, and tried to dodge, but Zoro was too quick, and scooped me up until I was screaming and wiggling to get away from him, but with a large smile on my face. I doubled my efforts when I saw Luffy get nearer with an almost identical smile to the one that had been on Zoro's face a few seconds prior. To no avail.

"TAG!" Luffy shouted, poking my cheek. I did a raspberry *ppphhhhttthhh* as Zoro let go of me. I then turned around and attempted to tag him, and was still trying to when three familiar voices called out to us.

"Hey! No fair getting a jumpstart on games!" I looked over from trying to tag Zoro to see Onion, Carrot, and Pepper standing a little farther up the road with their arms crossed. I ran up to them and was about to tag Onion, when I saw someone familiar up the road.

"Ah! Pinocchio's back." I said, pointing past them.

"You aren't fooling _us_." Carrot said.

"Yeah, we're onto your devilish tricks!"

"You're _it_, why should we believe you?!" I rolled my eyes at them and ran past them to tag Pinocchio.

"You're it!" I sang, and then paused. There was a familiar smell in the air. Blood. And Tears. I looked at his arm, which he had hidden behind his back. I looked up. He quickly wiped his eyes to get rid of the evidence. I frowned. Had the villagers responded violently to him telling the truth?

"HEY! SHE WAS RIGHT!"

"HEY CAPTAIN!" There was a pause as Usopp held up his other (not bloody) arm and waved at the three, smiling like nothing was wrong.

"Hey, you guys!" He said, and then looked closer at the group. His eyes widened.

"YOU'RE ALIVE?!" He shouted, staring at Luffy, bug eyed. His expression would have been funny had I not seen his arm and the tears.

"Alive?" asked Luffy, clueless. "Yeah, I must've dozed off."

"He took a long nap." Pepper calmly said, and then shouted, "CAPTAIN, WE'VE HEARD WHAT'S GOING ON! WE'VE GOT TO HURRY AND WARN EVERYONE ABOUT THE PIRATES!"

"…warn everyone…" Usopp was trembling slightly. "HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" he suddenly burst out, so suddenly that I jumped backwards away from him. When I looked up at his face, it was the same one that had been conversing with us in the restaurant, though a little bit more strained.

"I just made it all up, as usual!" He said cheerfully. "Got so mad at that Butler, I made up a lie about him being a pirate!" I was almost inclined to believe him, but I knew that _Luffy_ wouldn't lie, so I just frowned, but said nothing. If he wanted to lie to his friends, it was his own fault when they found out the truth. Hiding the truth never helped anyone.

"WHAT? IT'S A LIE?!" shouted Pepper, looking slightly outraged.

"Shucks, I thought something exciting was going to happen!" moaned Carrot, looking at the sky.

"The captain even fooled that Strawhat guy!" Onion added, glaring at Luffy.

"Huh?" said Luffy, looking slightly confused as to why Onion was glaring at him.

"I can't believe the Captain would do that." Carrot said.

"Yeah, me neither." Pepper agreed.

"Or me." Onion said, and then added, "I don't like that butler…but I never thought the Captain would lie to hurt someone."

"Let's go home."

"Yeah, it's dinner time."

"I wonder what we're having…" The three of them walked away. There was silence.

"Your nose grows." I said, breaking said silence. "At least ten feet." Usopp looked at my (somewhat) serious face before walking away. We watched him walk away, and then Nami-baka, Zoro, and I looked to Luffy. He said nothing, but picked me up and started walking in the direction Usopp had gone.

"Are we going to get an answer out of _mia mensoganto_?"* I asked him. Luffy didn't ask what that meant, but nodded instead. I took that as both a 'yes, we're going to get the truth out of him', and 'yes, I know what that language is'. I nodded, happy that we were actually going to do something instead of sitting around and eating food. (Well, they ate while I sat and stared at the food, wishing to be alive again.)

The moon was up when we finally found him sitting on a random rock on the beach, his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. I wriggled out of Luffy's grasp and dropped to the ground, imagining a roll of gauze as I walked over to Usopp. "Poof" "Pop" Usopp looked up at the sound of my voice, and tried to pull his arm away, but my grip on his arm and my glare made him leave it in my care. The others watched in silence as I applied the bandage with swift, practiced movements.

"It's 'cause I'm a liar." Usopp suddenly said. I finished applying the last of the bandage, and stepped back to join the others.

"No one'll believe me! I should've known." He went on.

"But the facts are still the facts…" Zoro said. "Pirates really _are_ coming, aren't they?"

"They're coming, all right." Usopp said, his face determined, and his voice glum. "But no one will believe me! They all think tomorrow will be just another peaceful day…" There was a pause. "SO IT'S UP TO ME TO MEET THOSE PIRATES AND FIGHT THEM OF!" Usopp suddenly shouted, rocketing to his feet.

"THEN I'LL HAVE A _REAL_ TALL TALE TO TELL! I MAY BE A LIAR…BUT _THIS_ TIME MY TALE WILL COME TRUE!"

***My liar**

**Well, I told you it'd be short…sorry. I really am, but this is the best I could do before I felt the urge to throw the computer against a wall in frustration…well, see ya! I'll have the next chappie out soon!**


	14. small disclaimer, read please

**Ok guys, this is mucho important, so read please.**

I am by no means intending to drop this, at all, but there is so much I have to do (for school, bleh) that there will be no chapter this week, next week, and the week after that. I know, I'm a bad person. :(

My reasoning is that I really need to get on top of my game in school (although I have a 3.5 GPA, I could do better), the rest of the homework, quizzes, and tests that I would've taken on a normal Thursday, I now have to take _a day earlier_, 'cause I'm not going to be in school Thursday. The reasoning behind that is, I can't very well take a test when I'm 20,000 feet up, and flying over the USA.

This has nothing to do with my writers block. In fact, I think that time away from this story will give me time to get more inspiration. This story will continue, and I will be back come at least before April, if not earlier.

Thank you for reading this, and I wish you all the best. :)

As Aave would say, THANKIES!


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